Three Foreign Tourists Fall Victim to Theft in Pattaya in One Night
In a series of unfortunate incidents on February 27th, three foreign tourists became victims of theft in Pattaya. The crimes involved a pickpocketing on a songthaew, a stolen motorcycle, and a robbery by a transgender woman at a hotel.
Pickpocketing on a Songthaew
At 1:49 AM, a 68-year-old Swiss tourist, Mr. Ulich, accompanied by his Thai girlfriend, filed a complaint with Pattaya police after being pickpocketed on a songthaew, a common form of public transportation. The couple had just arrived in Pattaya from Hua Hin and were traveling from Walking Street in South Pattaya. As they reached Soi 6 on Pattaya Second Road, two unidentified Thai men, aged between 40 and 50, boarded the vehicle. One was described as thin, and the other as overweight. After sitting next to Mr. Ulich, the suspects struck up a conversation, claiming to be boxers. One of them then hugged Mr. Ulich before both men exited at Dolphin Roundabout in North Pattaya.
Upon returning to their hotel, the couple discovered that Mr. Ulich’s brown wallet, containing 5,000 baht and other important documents, had gone missing from his shoulder bag. Suspecting the two men, they reported the theft to the police.
Robbery by a Transgender Woman
At 2:10 AM, another foreign tourist, Mr. Jerome, a French national, reported a robbery to Pattaya police. He explained that while walking along South Pattaya Beach, a transgender woman approached him, offering companionship services. After agreeing to go to her hotel room, Mr. Jerome briefly stepped into the bathroom. Upon returning, he found that the woman had vanished, along with 57,000 baht in cash—comprising 53,000 baht in euros and 4,000 baht in Thai baht—hidden inside a sock in his suitcase. Realizing he had been robbed, Mr. Jerome promptly filed a report with authorities.
Motorcycle Theft
Later that evening, at the police station, Mr. Mark, an Australian tourist, reported the theft of his red Yamaha motorcycle. He had parked the bike near a beer bar on Soi 7, Pattaya Beach Road, just 200 meters from the police station. Mr. Mark admitted to leaving his keys in the ignition before going inside the bar. When he returned, the motorcycle was gone. CCTV footage confirmed that an unknown suspect had stolen the vehicle at 9:25 PM. Mr. Mark immediately reported the incident to the authorities.
These thefts highlight ongoing concerns about security for tourists in Pattaya, as all three incidents occurred within a few hours of each other.
