An Indian tourist was punched by a Thai man after he and his Thai friends refused to rent a mat but used their own mat to sit on Pattaya beach on Tuesday evening.

I was sitting in my lounge watching television with some Thai friends when a news update on the issue of Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon’s ownership of undeclared luxury watch(es) and a diamond ring came up “What do you guys think,” I asked innocently.