A 36-year-old British man is fighting for his life after being stabbed repeatedly and thrown from a moving car near Pattaya Provincial Court. Witnesses say a foreign gang carried out the brutal daylight ambush before fleeing. Police are hunting three suspects.
A 36-year-old British tourist is fighting for his life in a Pattaya hospital after being savagely attacked and left for dead on Friday evening. Identified only as Andrew, the blood-soaked and critically wounded man was violently thrown from a car near the Pattaya Provincial Court. As he hit the ground, one of his attackers reportedly stabbed him again, leaving him screaming in pain. Shocked rescue workers and paramedics rushed to the scene and fought to stem the flow of blood from multiple injuries. Among the most serious was a deep laceration to his abdomen, so severe that it exposed internal tissue. A woman was seen during the altercation but was later ordered to leave by the attackers before they fled. Police in Pattaya are now hunting three suspects believed to be responsible. Witnesses told officers that the assailants also appeared to be foreigners.
A British man is fighting for his life after being stabbed multiple times and thrown from a moving car in Pattaya. The violent ambush unfolded in broad daylight around 5 pm on Friday, 16 May, opposite the Pattaya Provincial Court on Thappraya Road. The victim, identified only as Andrew, 36, was left bleeding heavily on the pavement with critical injuries.
According to witnesses, Andrew had been inside a white Toyota Veloz with three other people. The vehicle bore Phuket licence plates and entered the parking lot at high speed.
Eyewitness Sayan Samanmit, 49, a local taxi driver, said the car veered off course and struck roadside bushes before coming to a sudden stop.
British man dragged from car and stabbed repeatedly in daylight attack outside Pattaya Provincial Court
Moments later, two foreign men and a Thai woman exited the vehicle. One of the men dragged a blood-soaked Andrew out of the back seat. Although he was clearly already injured, the attacker allegedly continued to stab him while shouting at the woman to get back in the car.
“I was shocked,” Sayan said. “He was already covered in blood when they pulled him out. Then the man kept stabbing him. It was brutal. The victim tried to shield himself, but he was too weak.”
According to Sayan, the group fled the scene within seconds. The driver jumped back into the car with the two other suspects, and the vehicle sped away towards South Pattaya Road. Andrew, left behind, collapsed on the pavement in a pool of blood.
Sayan acted quickly. He called police and took photos of the car and licence plate before it disappeared from view. Emergency responders from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation arrived minutes later. Paramedics found Andrew semi-conscious and struggling to breathe.
Paramedics raced to help as the victim lay bleeding with severe stab wounds and mutilated hand injuries
Although stabilised at the scene, his injuries were extensive. A 10-centimetre gash ran across the left side of his face. His chest and stomach had been slashed so deeply that internal fat and tissue were protruding.
His left hand was mutilated, with the index, middle, and ring fingers almost severed. He was bleeding heavily through thick bandages as medics worked to save him.
He was rushed to Pattaya Memorial Hospital and placed in intensive care. At the time of admission, he was unable to speak. Doctors have confirmed his condition remains critical but stable.
Police launched an immediate investigation. Police Lieutenant Pakan Pobnan, Deputy Investigation Officer at Pattaya City Police Station, is leading the case. “We are treating this as a case of attempted murder,” he confirmed. “This was a targeted and violent attack.”
Police treat the stabbing as attempted murder and believe the victim was targeted in a premeditated car ambush
So far, no arrests have been made. However, police have confirmed they are analysing CCTV footage from the area. Footage from the courthouse and nearby businesses may provide leads. Investigators are also reviewing traffic camera recordings to trace the vehicle’s route after the attack.
Police Lieutenant Pakan said initial evidence suggests Andrew and his attacker knew each other. “There appears to have been an argument or altercation inside the vehicle. It then escalated.”
Investigators believe Andrew was attacked inside the moving car before being dumped near the courthouse. It is still unclear how long the group had been travelling together, or whether they had met earlier in the day. Officers are also looking into Andrew’s background, recent movements, and acquaintances.
Meanwhile, Sayan’s testimony has proved vital. He said the attacker appeared to be in his late 30s or early 40s. The Thai woman looked to be in her 20s. All three suspects spoke loudly but not in Thai. Sayan believes they may have been arguing in English.
Eyewitness say suspects may have argued in English before the attacker ordered a woman into the vehicle
“I didn’t understand everything, but it was tense,” he said. “I think they were foreigners, not locals. The woman looked frightened. She didn’t want to get back in the car, but the man shouted at her.”
The attack occurred in an open parking area used by visitors to the courthouse and nearby businesses. The lot had no security personnel on duty at the time. Despite its central location, the area had no active police patrol when the incident occurred.
Photos taken at the scene show large amounts of blood near the bushes where Andrew was left. His shirt and shoes were later recovered by investigators. The area was cordoned off by police throughout the night as forensics teams searched for additional evidence.
The British Embassy in Bangkok has been informed. Officials are working closely with Thai authorities and providing consular support to Andrew’s family. His surname has not yet been released.
Forensics cordoned off parking lot as British embassy was informed and the victim’s family received support
The case has shocked Pattaya residents. Many locals expressed concern about public safety, especially in high-traffic areas like the courthouse district. Although violent crimes involving tourists are rising in Thailand, this incident in particular has raised alarm. The callous and vicious knifing has caused horror and revulsion.
Tourism police have urged calm but confirmed additional patrols will be introduced in the area. “This was not a random attack,” said a Pattaya police spokesperson. “The suspects and victim were connected. But it happened in a public place, and we must take it seriously.”
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Police Lieutenant Pakan said police are considering all possible motives, including personal conflict or criminal involvement. However, he stressed that the focus remains on identifying and apprehending the attackers. “We have good leads,” he said. “We will find them.”
Police are asking anyone with information or footage of the incident to contact Pattaya City Police Station. Officers believe additional witnesses may have seen the vehicle as it fled the scene. Dashcam footage from passing cars could prove crucial.
For now, Andrew remains under close observation in hospital, surrounded by medical staff and awaiting word from family. The full story of what led to the attack is still unfolding. But one thing is clear — the search for his attackers is now one of Pattaya’s top priorities.
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