PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN — A Swiss expat in Bang Saphan district is facing possible visa revocation after his dogs repeatedly attacked tourists on a local beach, escalating a year-long dispute to immigration authorities.
Local officials in Bang Saphan district have referred the case of a Swiss expatriate to Thailand’s Immigration Bureau for possible visa revocation after his dogs attacked a tourist for the second time in recent months.
The long-running dispute between the Swiss dog owner, identified as Mathias, and both local residents and other expatriates in Phong Prasat subdistrict of Bang Saphan, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, has intensified following this latest incident. Locals have complained that some of his dogs have previously bitten people and created fear in the community.
On March 9, a community meeting was held at the Village No. 1 pavilion, bringing together local residents and foreign tourists to discuss the situation. The meeting follows an earlier discussion with relevant officials on March 8, with conclusions set to be forwarded to appropriate agencies.
Nattapong Krainara, Bang Saphan district’s security chief, invited local agencies and affected residents to discuss solutions to the problem. The Swiss expat has repeatedly allowed his dogs to roam unleashed on the beach, where they bark at and chase other beachgoers.
The meeting was prompted after a 76-year-old Swiss tourist named Rolf was bitten by one of Mathias’s dogs on March 7, 2025, while walking on the beach—marking the second attack against him, with the first occurring on August 19, 2024.
Following the first incident, the Phong Prasat Subdistrict Administrative Organization had prohibited unleashed dogs on the beach and ordered the removal of the dog that had bitten tourists until legal proceedings concluded. However, this order has been repeatedly violated, with a court case scheduled for March 11, 2025, in Prachuap Khiri Khan Provincial Court.
Officials concluded that police would gather evidence and summon Mathias for additional questioning regarding the latest incident, which is classified as a minor offense, before proceeding with administrative prosecution.
Affected residents refused further negotiations, stating that previous mediation attempts had failed to produce any compliance from the dog owner. They are pursuing legal action to the fullest extent. Rolf, who was bitten for the second time, filed a police report on March 7, noting that it was a different dog than in the previous attack.
Rolf added that Mathias typically shows indifference when confronted about the incidents, threatening to counter-sue with his legal team.
The district chief announced that photos and videos documenting the various incidents would be collected and forwarded to the provincial governor and Immigration Bureau to review Mathias’s visa status in Thailand.
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