This is the shocking moment rival Indian restaurant owners clashed in a turf war in Thailand.

The shopkeepers allegedly began fighting when one accused the other of stealing their customers in the lucrative tourist market of Bangkok.

CCTV footage shows the rival chefs hurling plastic stools through the windows and damaging signs during the fracas on May 29.

Backroom workers spilled into the street and traded blows, wielding chairs, brooms, and wooden sticks as weapons.

Police arrived after receiving a report at 7:30 pm local time. They allegedly found blood on the tiled floor of one entry in addition to kitchen knives that were suspected of being used in the confrontation.

Three people were injured and rushed to the Police General Hospital for treatment. They were identified by officers as Shamsher, owner of the Chauhan Restaurant, his son, Vir, and his mother, Satnam, 65, from India.

Satnam suffered bruises and had glass shards embedded in her head after trying to break up the fight. Shamsher needed 20 stitches for cuts on his head, arms, and fingers, while Vir suffered a fracture and a torn arm tendon.

A police spokesman from the Phaya Thai district of the capital said: 'The investigating officers will check CCTV footage to confirm which side was the first to attack before taking legal action.'

Thai vendor Patcharin Ayyindi, 44, said she saw both parties clearing up furniture in front of the shops before the brawl began.

She said: 'I don't know what caused the conflict, but it quickly escalated into a large fight. One person attacked the others with a hammer and a chair, while the other side had cleavers. It was chaos.

'I think the dispute started over poaching customers. One side seemed to start it, and the other just retaliated.'

Vegetable grocer Hong, 34, said hawkers for both restaurants had frequently argued over customers in the past, but the fights never devolved into violence until now.

A female friend of Shamsher claimed a group of around 15 men charged at the Chauhan Restaurant to allegedly carry out the attack.

She said: 'We have reported the incident to police, but we are still scared, because the rivalling shop is just nearby. We are afraid they might return to attack us.'

Police said they were investigating who instigated the violence.

Indian tourism to Bangkok has experienced a remarkable surge in recent years.

In 2024, Thailand welcomed more than 2.1 million Indian tourists, marking a nearly 30 per cent increase from 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

However, culture clashes with the locals has seen unsightly scenes in popular tourist areas such as Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya.