PATTAYA: A Pattaya taxi driver spent nearly three hours hunting down an Indian tourist who picked up his dropped wallet and did not return it, before finding the man’s motorcycle parked along the beachfront, leading to the Indian man being detained by Pattaya police.
At about 11 p.m. on September 4th, Mesa Chomkhunthod, 51, a taxi driver in Pattaya, sought help from police at a public service point on Pattaya Beach. He said he had lost his wallet earlier in the day and later saw on CCTV that a man who appeared to be Indian had taken it and ridden away.
Mesa said the incident happened around 3:18 p.m. while his car was parked by the roadside near a Kasikornbank branch in Pattaya. He opened the door to get in, and dropped the wallet without noticing. It contained about 7,000 baht in cash as well as documents and several important cards.
After realizing the wallet was missing, he checked nearby CCTV footage with the assistance of local businesses. The video showed a foreign man who appeared Indian riding a green motorcycle, stopping, bending down to pick up the wallet, and then driving off.
Mesa then set out to find the motorcycle himself, driving around Pattaya for nearly three hours. He eventually spotted a green motorcycle matching the CCTV images parked in front of Pattaya Beach. He immediately contacted tourist police, Pattaya City Police Station officers, and local administrative officials, who kept watch at the spot.
When the rider returned, officers identified themselves and invited him for questioning. He was identified as Mr. Sathia, 39, Indian, who was with another man of the same nationality.
During questioning, the Indian man admitted he had picked up the wallet. He claimed he did not know where to take it but was planning to eventually turn it in. He then produced the wallet. However, officers found the 7,000 baht in cash was missing; only the documents and cards remained, making them skeptical of the claim to want to return the wallet. After further questioning, he went to withdraw the same amount and returned the money to Mesa.
Police took Sathia and Mesa to Pattaya City Police Station for additional statements, fact-checking, and a decision on legal action.
