Witnesses to the shocking incident at a Thai airport say the Australian man became so unruly that multiple police officers had to stop him.
The shocking incident is said to have happened in the popular holiday destination of Phuket on September 22, when an Australian man was stopped at an airport bar as he tried to order more drinks.
Footage of the confrontation with police shows multiple officers on top of him and one of them hitting him with a baton as he resists arrest.
A waitress working at the airport bar claimed the man was already “very drunk” and refused to drink any more.
Surprised onlookers said the man, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, staggered out of the bar and started fighting with other passengers who were waiting for their flight.
Six armed police arrived and tried to calm the tourists down, but they became even more furious.
A fellow Australian who filmed the incident and shared it with the viral press said the man appeared to be “extremely intoxicated”.
“It was really disappointing to see Australians and people involved behave like this,” the witness said.
“He was very drunk at the bar, got cut off and then started fighting anyone who tried to look at him.
“Thai airport security was unable to detain him. Unfortunately, I don't think anyone in the history of being told to calm down has ever calmed down.”
Witnesses said the man was eventually restrained and restrained in a bathroom hallway.
“When he was handcuffed on the bench, he was quick to talk to anyone he made eye contact with. I told him, 'You're a failure and you're an embarrassment.' he didn't like it.
“Hopefully, he spends a night in a Thai prison and that's a wake-up call.”
Airport officials said the tourist was kept in a cell at the airport until he sobered up. He missed his flight and was forced to rebook on another flight.
A spokesperson for Phuket International Airport said the situation had been resolved.
“The holidaymaker seen in the video was drunk and aggressive. Police caught him at gate 11,” the spokesperson explained.
“He was detained until he sobered up and the situation was subsequently resolved. I cannot go into detail about what happened between him and the police.”
