Tourists in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Thailand, Jan. 19, 2023. Photo by Reuters
Police in Thailand arrested nine Filipino nationals, two men and seven women, on Tuesday on charges of pickpocketing foreign visitors at popular tourist attractions.
The arrests were made after a South Korean tourist filed a complaint, reporting that a group of foreigners had pickpocketed him at Sukhumvit Soi 33 in Bangkok’s Watthana district on Oct. 16, Bangkok Post reported.
Based on CCTV footage, police identified the gang approaching the tourist, with one member stealing his wallet.
Authorities detained seven suspects at a hotel, while the remaining two were apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport as they were about to board a flight back to the Philippines, The Pattaya News reported.
The suspects admitted to traveling from the Philippines. They had rented rooms and sought out potential victims at busy tourist sites across Bangkok.
The gang also confessed to committing similar thefts on multiple occasions, dividing the stolen money and valuables among themselves.
Under Thai criminal law, theft carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to 60,000 baht (US$1,780).
Comments are closed.