PATTAYA – A Pattaya municipal officer has gone viral on social media after Chinese tourists were seen lining up to take photos with him, turning him into an unexpected online sensation during the recent holiday period.

Pongsatep Prasankhata, 28, known by his nickname "Nan," works as a special affairs officer for Pattaya City, responsible for assisting tourists and ensuring safety at Bali Hai Pier, a key departure point for visitors in the coastal city.

Videos and images of Chinese tourists requesting photos with him were widely shared on TikTok, quickly spreading across social media platforms and drawing significant attention online.

Pongsatep, who runs the TikTok account "Nanza_27" with more than 164,000 followers and over 3.7 million likes, regularly posts content showing his daily work, including assisting tourists, providing safety support and helping visitors at tourist hotspots.

He said he began creating content on TikTok around 2–3 years ago as a hobby, but his videos gained increasing popularity, particularly among Chinese users. During the holiday period, large numbers of tourists visited Pattaya, with many recognising him and asking for photos, leading to widespread sharing online.

Despite the viral attention, he stressed that his main duty remains assisting all tourists equally. His daily responsibilities include managing parking and tourist facilitation during the day, and providing safety support in the evening, including basic first aid and assistance for elderly and disabled visitors.

The viral attention has been widely praised online, with many users saying the incident reflects Thailand's tourism industry not only through its destinations, but also through frontline personnel who play a key role in creating trust and positive impressions among international visitors.

Woman catches, punches peeping tom filming in Surat Thani toiletLegacyA woman punched a man after catching him filming her inside a toilet at a petrol station in Surat Thani on April 16, before police were called. The incident took place at a petrol station in Baan Na Doem district after a group of women were returning from Songkran celebrations and heading back to Khian Sa district. They stopped at the station to use the toilets and the convenience store. Prae, a 27 year old woman wearing a black shirt, said she noticed a mobile phone protruding from the next stall while she was in the toilet. At first, she thought one of her friends was playing a prank. However, after her group came out and realised everyone was already outside, they called for the person in the stall to come out. Nearly 10 minutes later, a teenage male emerged. Photo via DailyNews When questioned, the man initially denied filming and said he had been hiding in the toilet from another group of teenagers. Prae, who said she was angry about being recorded, then punched him several times as her friends tried to stop her. The confrontation was recorded by the women in the group. DailyNews reported that after they asked to see his phone, the screen displayed a message saying the images had been deleted. The group also found numerous searches for pornographic websites on his phone. However, he still denied filming secret videos in the toilet at that point. Convenience store staff and petrol station workers stepped in and called the police. A complaint was later filed at Baan Na Doem Police Station. Photo via DailyNews Police said the suspect later admitted he had secretly filmed inside the toilet, apologised, and said he had deleted the clip. His phone was confiscated, while the confrontation video was later posted online as a “warning”. Responding to online comments about her punches, Prae said she had previously trained in boxing for sport and self-defence. She also warned women using public toilets, especially those alone, to stay alert and pay close attention to their surroundings. Elsewhere, officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau arrested a Thai man in the southern province of Prachuap Khiri Khan for possessing and selling spycam pornography. Officials found 60,000 files of pornography in his possession. The story Woman catches, punches peeping tom filming in Surat Thani toilet as seen on Thaiger News.

Mercedes driver doges petrol bill, station worker forced to cover costsLegacyA woman driving a white Mercedes-Benz allegedly left a petrol station in Thung Yai, Hat Yai, Songkhla, with a 1,000 baht fuel bill unpaid on April 6, leaving the employee to cover the cost himself. The incident occurred at 2.42pm when a woman aged around 30 to 35 arrived in a white Mercedes-Benz and asked to fill benzine 95 worth 2,000 baht. She reportedly later reduced the amount to 1,000 baht as the pump was dispensing slowly. Photo via Khaosod An employee, 23 year old Theerapong, said the woman attempted to pay using a mobile banking app on an iPhone. However, the transaction was not clearly confirmed due to a slow internet connection. The worker told her he would check the payment on the station’s system. While he walked to the cashier, the woman fled the petrol station and drove towards Kho Hong municipality at around 2.45pm. Photo via Naewna Theerapong said he did not pursue the vehicle as other customers were waiting. He later confirmed that the 1,000 baht payment had not been received, although payments from other customers were processed normally. He believes the payment was not completed and has asked the woman to return and pay the amount. He added that he earns 350 baht per day and would need to work three days without pay to cover the loss. If the woman does not come forward, he plans to file a police complaint, reported Khaosod. CCTV footage shows the vehicle entering the station at around 2.40pm and parking at pump No.1 before the refuelling took place. The footage also shows the moment the driver left while the employee was checking the payment. Photo via Naewna Elsewhere, a black Mitsubishi sedan was captured on CCTV at a Bangchak station in Khon Kaen refuelling with 1,000 baht of Gasohol 95, before the driver fled without paying. The petrol station is now using social media to seek information about the vehicle. The story Mercedes driver doges petrol bill, station worker forced to cover costs as seen on Thaiger News.

Vendor splashed with hot oil by another worker in Krabi mallLegacyA drink vendor was injured yesterday, April 4, after another worker threw hot cooking oil at her in a shopping mall in Mueang district, Krabi, with police detaining the suspect at the scene. Rescue workers were alerted by mall staff and coordinated with police before arriving at the food court on the first floor, where they found the victim, 19 year old Rattika, waiting for assistance. She had suffered burns to the right side of her torso and back after being splashed with hot oil used for frying food. First aid was given before she was taken to Krabi Hospital. Rattika said she had been preparing to close her stall when the suspect, identified as Fon, who worked at a neighbouring stall in the same area, suddenly threw a pot of hot oil at her without warning. Photo via ONE News She said she did not know the cause, but the pair had previously argued on April 1 while she was speaking with a relative. During that incident, the suspect allegedly insulted her without a reason. A witness, who was a customer at the mall, said the suspect called out the victim’s name before throwing the oil, suggesting she may have intended to target the face. Khaosod reported that after the attack, the suspect attempted to flee but was stopped by male customers who helped detain her until police arrived. The witness said they were willing to testify. Police attempted to question the suspect at the scene, but she declined to give a statement and refused to be photographed before being taken to Mueang Krabi Police Station for legal proceedings. Photo via ONE News Elsewhere, a man is seeking justice after suffering severe burns from a hot pot at a popular Isan restaurant. Despite evidence of faulty equipment, the restaurant’s insurer refused full compensation, claiming “contributory negligence” because the customer put too many ingredients into the pot. The story Vendor splashed with hot oil by another worker in Krabi mall as seen on Thaiger News.

On March 22, 2026, from 9:30 PM to 11:50 PM, under the command of Pol. Col. Siritham Nakhaworn, Chief of Ko Lanta Police Station, and Pol. Lt. Col. Chatchai Choo Nu, Deputy Chief of Ko Lanta District Police, Pol. Lt. Col. Sathaporn Chonsakhon, Inspector of Ko Lanta Police Station, was assigned to lead a team of 20 traffic officers, public service units from Ko Lanta Noi Subdistrict, and volunteer security personnel. Checkpoints were established at the ferry pier area in Moo 2, Ko Lanta Noi Subdistrict, Ko Lanta District, to conduct searches for narcotics, firearms, and other illegal items. No illegal items were found during the operation.