Pattaya police arrest transgender duo for tourist thefts
Pattaya police have detained two transgender individuals in connection with thefts targeting tourists from India and Turkey.
Police Colonel Navin Theerawit, Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, announced the arrests at a press conference at 6pm on Thursday, January 23. The suspects were reportedly involved in two recent theft incidents.
The first suspect, 42 year old Kachaphaphak, also known as Sara, was apprehended under an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court on Wednesday, January 22. The charge was theft during nighttime hours on January 19, around 11.25pm. The second suspect, 39 year old Samai, was arrested under a warrant issued by the Pattaya Provincial Court on January 23. Samai faces charges of theft at night with the use of a vehicle to facilitate the crime, transport stolen items, and evade arrest. This incident occurred on January 22 at approximately 4.30am, opposite a hotel on Soi 8.
Police recovered evidence from the suspects, including 12 US$100 bills (approximately 43,000 baht), a black fabric handbag, and a grey dress worn by one of the suspects during the crime. During questioning, both suspects confessed to the thefts.
They explained that they would sell the stolen valuables to finance visits to male host bars. Once their funds diminished, they would commit further thefts, specifically targeting tourists who were alone late at night, appeared inebriated, and wore jewellery or carried wallets in less crowded areas or along the beach.
The suspects have been handed over to investigators at Pattaya Police Station for further legal proceedings. Pattaya police have also urged tourists to remain vigilant, be wary of overly friendly strangers, and avoid carrying large sums of cash or wearing expensive jewellery while exploring the area, reported The Pattaya News.
In October last year, nine Filipino nationals were arrested in Bangkok for allegedly pickpocketing a South Korean tourist in the Sukhumvit area. They confessed to targeting foreign visitors in popular tourist spots, sending some of the stolen money to a Filipino broker.
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