PATTAYA — An Indian tourist’s holiday in the seaside city of Pattaya took an unexpected turn after he reported being robbed by two transgender individuals he had invited to his hotel room.
In the early hours of June 10, Sachin Suryakant Ghayal, a visiting tourist from India, filed a complaint with Pattaya City Police, claiming that two transgender women had stolen nearly 41,000 baht worth of foreign currency from him.
According to the police report, Ghayal said he met the two individuals near Pattaya Beach, a popular nightlife and entertainment area along the Gulf of Thailand. He later brought them to his hotel on Soi Pattaya 10, a side street in the city’s central district.
Inside the hotel room, Ghayal reported that one of the companions suggested taking a shower, while the other waited on the bed. After the shower, he noticed his wallet had been tampered with. He discovered that €600 (approximately 22,000 baht) and 50,000 Indian rupees (around 19,000 baht) were missing.
When he confronted the individual still in the room, she reportedly attempted to flee. Ghayal said he tried to stop her but was blocked by the second person, who claimed the money was simply misplaced. During the confusion, both suspects escaped the hotel and left the scene in a waiting car.
Lieutenant Police Colonel Saichai Kamchulla of the Pattaya Police is overseeing the investigation. Officers are reviewing security camera footage from the area and are working to identify and locate the suspects, who face charges of theft.
Pattaya, located in Chonburi Province about two hours from Bangkok, is well known for its vibrant nightlife, which often includes interactions between tourists and members of the local transgender (known in Thai as kathoey) community. While most such encounters are consensual and harmless, local police regularly caution visitors to remain vigilant when meeting new acquaintances in nightlife areas.
Authorities encourage tourists to report any suspicious incidents immediately and to avoid carrying large amounts of cash when going out.
