Indian tourist denied entry at Thailand club, alleges racial discrimination

PTC News Desk: An Indian tourist has alleged racial indiscrimination after they were denied entry at Thailand's prominent floating club despite holding valid tickets. 

The allegations were shared on Instagram by user Jonas Castilho Monteiro, who described this as a humiliating and discriminatory experience at Yona Beach Club on January 19.

“We were denied entry to Yona Beach Club despite having valid tickets and arriving on time,” Monteiro wrote.

In order to corroborate his claims, Monteiro attached screenshots in subsequent slides showing refund confirmations and payment receipts issued by the club after the incident.

Monteiro said the situation took a serious turn after he overheard staff making what he described as a blatant racist comment. “We then heard the staff clearly say, ‘Don’t let any Indians enter.’ That’s when everything became obvious,” he wrote.

He further alleged that the discrimination extended beyond his group. “Several Indian couples and groups were also denied entry the same day using similar excuses,” his post claimed. Monteiro added that bouncers and even the club’s manager were complicit, with one Indian couple reportedly told they “don’t look good enough for this club.”

When the group attempted to raise the issue with management, Monteiro said their concerns were brushed off. “The manager refused to respond, took photos of our tickets, cancelled them immediately, did the same with our female friend’s ticket, and forced us to leave while waiting for a refund,” he wrote, branding the venue “the world’s first floating racist beach club.”

Meanwhile the club issued clarification stating that the incident took place due to internal policies rather than racial bias. “Our policy is part of our crowd management strategy and may vary depending on the time of year. Its sole purpose is to maintain a balanced male-to-female ratio on board, and it is not based on race or ethnicity,” the management said.