Pattaya, Thailand– A 22-year-old Chinese man is wanted by Pattaya police after allegedly savagely beating a 25-year-old transgender woman inside a Pattaya hotel room, leaving her bloodied and requiring nearly 30 stitches before immediately fleeing the country back to China.
The incident came to light after a Facebook user named “bell apisara” posted a graphic video showing the victim, covered in blood, inside the hotel. In the accompanying post, the victim described the terrifying ordeal, saying she wanted the case to serve as a warning to others.
“He beat me so badly. He wouldn’t let me leave the room. I tried to open the door for my friends to help. If my friends hadn’t come, I might not have survived,” the post read. “He slapped and hit me, smashing things in the room. I tried to escape. The injuries on my face were caused by a broken glass that he used to strike me. It was extremely brutal.”
The victim, identified as Thanawat Thongduang, sustained 19 stitches to the face, 8 to the hand, and 4 to the foot, totaling nearly 30 stitches.
According to hotel staff, the assault occurred in the early morning of Monday, May 25th, 2026, at a hotel in the South Pattaya area. At around 6:00 AM, the injured victim ran downstairs covered in blood and told staff, “The Chinese man didn’t pay me and attacked me.”
The suspect, identified as Mr. Chen Wentao, 22, a Chinese national, had checked into the hotel on May 23rd,, paying 750 baht per night with a 500 baht deposit. He fled immediately after the incident without collecting his deposit and was seen on CCTV literally running to a taxi with his luggage, clearly aware that he was in trouble.
Hotel management stated they are gathering evidence to file a complaint with Pattaya City Police for property damage caused by the suspect as well who reportedly trashed his hotel room also.
The victim later filed an official complaint at Pattaya City Police Station and underwent a medical examination. Police plan to take a detailed statement from her. Meanwhile, immigration records show that Chen departed Thailand at 11:20 AM on May 25 via Suvarnabhumi Airport, boarding a flight to Chongqing, China.
Police are investigating the motive. It is believed the suspect may have hired the victim for companionship services, only to become enraged upon discovering she was a transgender woman, leading to the violent assault.
The case remains under active investigation, with Thai authorities expected to issue an arrest warrant and pursue international cooperation with Chinese authorities if necessary.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
