PATTAYA, Thailand – A Russian tourist was found unconscious in a bathroom on Pattaya’s Walking Street early Saturday morning, with rescuers reporting white powder around his nostrils while his heavily intoxicated friends initially tried to prevent emergency workers from assisting him. The incident was reported at about 2:30 a.m. on August 28. Rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon, Pattaya City special affairs officers and Tourist Police were called to the scene after receiving reports that a foreign man had collapsed inside a bathroom.
A crowd of tourists had gathered when rescuers arrived. The Russian man was found slumped inside the bathroom, apparently unconscious, with his eyes open and unable to communicate coherently. He appeared to be heavily intoxicated. Several Russian friends who were also reportedly heavily intoxicated initially argued with officers and prevented rescuers from entering the bathroom. The group eventually carried the man outside to an area with better ventilation.
Rescuers attempted to assess his condition, but his friends reportedly refused to allow him to be taken to hospital. During the examination, officers noticed an unidentified white powder around the man’s nostrils. The substance could not be confirmed at the scene.
According to rescuers, the man’s friends claimed he had taken antidepressant medication while drinking alcohol, after which he lost consciousness. They said he could still be awakened.
The man remained confused and appeared heavily intoxicated. At one point, he reportedly told rescuers that his “leg was missing” and repeatedly said he did not want to go to hospital, insisting that he wanted to return to his accommodation.
A local resident, Kriengsak Thapkhlue, 64, said the group had emerged from a nearby Russian entertainment venue before entering the bathroom. A short time later, the man’s friends ran to ask him for help after finding their companion unconscious. Kriengsak said that when emergency workers arrived, the man’s friends stopped them from entering and pushed them away before carrying the unconscious man out themselves.
He said his own shop had been closed for some time and that the tourists had only entered the premises to use the bathroom. He also said he noticed what appeared to be a significant amount of white powder around the man’s nostrils, raising concerns that an unidentified substance may have been used inside the bathroom. However, there was no confirmation of what the substance was or whether any illegal drugs had been involved.
Officers recorded photographs and passport information from those involved for further reference. Because the group refused hospital transport and took the man back to his accommodation, his condition and the precise cause of the collapse could not be medically established at the scene.
