Ukrainian woman reports motorcycle rental scam in Pattaya

A Ukrainian woman and her friend have reported a motorcycle rental scam in Pattaya after discovering that their rental bikes were stolen and taken across Thailand’s border.

Kateryna, a Ukrainian national, and her unidentified friend presented surveillance camera footage from their motorbike rental shop and filed a complaint with Pattaya police. The duo claimed that customers who rented their motorcycles failed to return them and allegedly transported the bikes across the border to a neighbouring country.

Kateryna explained that on August 9, a man identified as Santipap Sainon rented an ADV 160cc motorcycle from her shop. Accompanied by a woman and a young girl, Santipap rented the motorcycle for one week, paying 4,400 baht, which included 2,400 baht for the rental and 2,000 baht as a deposit.

The same group, including another suspect, Anchalee Booncharoen, returned on August 13 to rent another ADV 160cc motorcycle for 10 days. They paid 2,500 baht for the rental and an additional 2,000 baht as a deposit.

The shop’s staff noticed by August 24 that the suspects had failed to return the rented motorcycles as scheduled. Tracking the bikes’ GPS, the staff discovered the vehicles had been taken across the Thai border to a neighbouring country through an informal crossing at Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province.

The Ukrainian shop owner expressed concerns that the suspects might be part of a motorcycle theft gang intending to sell the motorcycles, reported Pattaya News.

Pattaya police are investigating the incident.

In related news, a woman in Phuket experienced a frightening encounter when a ladyboy, apparently under the influence of drugs, entered her home uninvited and demanded the key to her motorbike. When she refused, the individual stole the key and, after a confrontation with a group of young males, fled the scene.

In other news, Pattaya City police launched an investigation at 1am on August 31, examining CCTV footage after a motorcycle theft was reported from a rented apartment in Mueang Pattaya.