Irish tourist 'attacked taxi driver and traffic policeman' on drunken rampage in Thailand

An Irish tourist allegedly attacked a taxi driver and a police officer during a drunken rampage in Thai 'Sin City' Pattaya.

The Irishman, identified by police with only his first name Paul, had hailed cabbie Jaemsaiwai Jaemsuwan, 43, to take him and an escort from red light district Soi Buakhao to a hotel but an argument started during the ride.

The punch-up then spilled out onto the street, where Paul was seen covered in blood.

Colonel Santhaya Khanthap, Deputy Chief of the Pattaya City Police Station, said police received a report of an altercation at 9:20 pm local time.

The officer said: 'At the scene, police and locals worked together to control a foreign man approximately 50 to 60 years old, who was injured with blood all over his face and a head injury.

'His first name was Paul but he was drunk and did not have his passport with him. He did not say his surname clearly.'

A volunteer police officer, Nipon Thepmanee, 52, was also found knocked out at the scene.

Both Paul and Nipon were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Jaemsaiwai said he was driving Paul and the Thai woman to their destination, but the tourist was said to have set the wrong pin on the GPS.

The taxi driver said: 'I offered to take the passenger to the correct destination, but I cancelled the trip because he was rude and kept insulting and threatening me.'

Upon being kicked out, the tourist reportedly went berserk, slamming the cab door and screaming at Jaemsaiwai, whom he allegedly grabbed by the collar.

Jaemsaiwai said he lost his temper and retaliated by throwing a punch at Paul's face. The volunteer cop, Nipon, tried to stop the fight, but was allegedly knocked out by Paul.

Pattaya Police said they have taken all involved parties to the Pattaya City Police Station for further questioning. The Irishman was later released.

The incident is the latest in a spate of violence against tourists and foreigners in Thailand, which has gained a bad reputation in recent years for lawlessness.

On August 9, British tourist Robert Anderson, 61, was allegedly punched and robbed by a thug in Phuket.

On July 31, Canadian oil executive Mark Robert Westendorf, 65, was knocked out by Thai security guard, Patiphan Sorheng, 28, in front of a bar operated by British-run company Nightwish Group on Soi 6 in Pattaya.

Mark was recovering in the ICU of a private hospital, while Patiphan had denied assaulting him, and claimed he only shoved the Canadian.

On July 29, two Arabian tourists, Mohamed Abdalla Hassan Mirak Alblooshi, 33, and Abdullah Mohammed Ali Ibrahim, 25, were reportedly assaulted by a hot-headed taxi driver speeding past them in Phuket.

Two weeks earlier, on July 15, a Kuwaiti tourist, Turky Alazemi, 30, in Phuket was reportedly beaten up by three motorcycle taxi drivers until he fell unconscious.

While a British tourist, Bryce Mahoney, 42, was brutally kicked in the head and knocked unconscious by a bar bouncer over a drinks bill dispute at a bar in Pattaya on May 24.

Pattaya, one of the world's most depraved sex tourism destinations, has become a controversial area for locals in recent years, with ministers vowing the transform the town in a family friendly holiday spot.

However, the lucrative nightlife industry has proved difficult to control, with impoverished locals flocking to the area to seek a better life with money earned from tourists.