American tourist attacked when he intervenes in jealous boyfriend assaulting Thai woman

An American tourist was attacked as he tried to protect a terrified woman from her jealous boyfriend.

Alan was eating dinner at the restaurant in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, when the panicked girl barged inside seeking refuge from her violent partner Sitthichai, 36, on June 10.

CCTV footage shows the Thai man, wearing a brown crop top and matching shorts, storming into the shop and yanking his girlfriend by the collar, sparking panic among staff.

Alan intervened but was met with a barrage of punches. The alleged attacker tore his shirt during the melee before workers and nearby taxi drivers dragged him outside.

But Sitthichai later returned carrying an empty glass bottle and demanding to confront Alan.

He kicked through a locked glass door and charged back into the restaurant, then left to chase his girlfriend, who had escaped during the chaos.

Alan was reportedly covered in blood but refused hospital treatment. He also declined to pursue charges against the suspect.

Police said witnesses had earlier seen Sittichai arguing with his girlfriend at their accommodation near the restaurant.

The pair were seen in another video fighting in front of oncoming cars, with the girlfriend sprawled in the middle of the street, screaming.

Officers later tracked down and detained Sittichai. A search of his hotel room found no illegal items. He was taken to the police station for further questioning.

An officer said Sittichai had a history of violence.

He said: 'Upon checking his history, we found that the perpetrator has an arrest warrant for an assault case from Chok Chai Police Station in Bangkok.

‘We detained him and coordinated with the inquiry officer responsible for that case to take custody of him for further legal action.'

Gina, owner of the Bread Season restaurant where the alleged attack happened, said the violent rampage injured a regular customer and left her property damaged.

She said: 'The injured foreigner, Alan, is a regular American customer who usually visits the restaurant twice a week.

‘He suffered injuries to his head, face, and shoulder, and was covered in blood.

‘He did not wish to go to hospital and chose not to pursue charges or take legal action because he did not want any trouble.

‘At the time, there were only three or four female employees inside the restaurant.

‘This is the first time we have experienced an incident like this, with someone forcing their way into the premises.

‘We do not know either of them personally. The woman and the man had already been arguing outside before she ran into the restaurant, with the man chasing after her and attempting to grab her.

‘We do not know whether he was intoxicated or under the influence of any substance, but he was very strong, heavily built, and went on a rampage.

‘He kicked the door only once, and it broke.

‘I am preparing to file a police report and pursue legal action for the property damage, as the glass has cracked, the lock has been broken, and the rubber door seal has come off.'

Tourists are regularly attacked or caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed 'Sin City'.

Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.

Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV.

Despite some success in cleaning up the town's image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.