Pattaya —
A Laotian tourist claimed that he was robbed of his 80,000 baht gold necklace while he was drunk and sleeping on the side of the street in Pattaya early Wednesday morning, May 1st.
The incident occurred at 1:26 AM along Sukhumvit Road in the Nongprue sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. The victim, Mr. Detnakhon Inthakoummane, a 37-year-old Laotian national, filed a report to Pattaya police, saying he was drinking with friends at a bar in South Pattaya the night before. After becoming intoxicated, they separated to return to their accommodations.
Although Mr. Detnakhon’s friends advised him to use public transportation, the man chose to walk along the roadside. Feeling increasingly tired, he eventually stopped and fell asleep on a footpath beside the street.
Upon waking up the next morning, the victim discovered that his two-baht-weight gold necklace was missing. He immediately filed a complaint with Pattaya police and asked to review nearby CCTV footage which we obtained and released here.
In the video, Mr. Detnakhon was surprised to find a thin, tall man seemingly wearing a motorbike taxi vest stopping a motorcycle to observe him while sleeping before driving away. Disturbingly, the same man returned later, this time without his vest. He then approached Mr. Detnakhon, searched his body, and allegedly stole the gold necklace before fleeing the scene.
The victim pleaded with the police to find the suspect as soon as possible. He hoped that the authorities would apprehend the thief and bring him to justice.
The Pattaya News notes that gold necklace theft is not uncommon in Pattaya with many foreign tourists, especially Indians, reporting similar incidents.
For instance, in May of last year, two Indian men reported their expensive gold necklaces being stolen, allegedly by transgender individuals in Pattaya on the same night.
The police warn tourists not to wear flashy jewelry outside and remain vigilant, especially while intoxicated.
