PATTAYA, Thailand – A kidnapping ordeal unfolded in Pattaya on June 26, 2025, when David, a 26-year-old Russian journalist, was allegedly abducted from his hotel room on Jomtien Soi 14 by four fellow Russians, including an acquaintance. The assailants held him at gunpoint, covered his head with a black bag, assaulted him, and restrained him with handcuffs, detaining him for hours in a terrifying ordeal.
According to reports from David, the attackers forced David to contact his girlfriend, Anna, also 26, who was in Bangkok at the time. They sent her a disturbing video showing David being assaulted, along with threats to kill him if she involved the police. The suspects demanded a ransom, instructing Anna to leave a Rolex watch, valued between 500,000 and 600,000 baht, under a tree on Rama IV Road in Bangkok. Anna complied, and a man was later seen collecting the watch, an exchange she recorded.
In addition to the watch, the suspects coerced David into transferring nearly 2 million baht in Bitcoin before they fled. David managed to escape while still handcuffed and sought help at a nearby coffee shop, where he alerted authorities. Pattaya City Police quickly responded to assist the traumatized journalist.
Police later discovered the suspects’ getaway vehicle, a grey MG sedan with Bangkok license plates, abandoned in a pineapple field in Rayong. The car was found damaged, providing a critical clue in the investigation. One suspect, identified as Anton, 26, was apprehended near Jomtien Beach. David confirmed Anton was among the attackers, though the suspect denied any involvement and claims he is innocent.
Authorities are actively pursuing the remaining three suspects, who are still at large.
