In the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, Police Capt. Pansan Krongsit, deputy officer at Muang Pattaya Police Station in Chonburi Province, received a distressing report of a tourist theft. The incident took place on Pattaya Beach Road in Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District. Acting swiftly upon notification, Capt. Pansan immediately initiated an investigation into the matter.
Upon arriving at the scene, he encountered Mr. Mehmet, a 50-year-old Turkish national, visibly shaken and eager to provide a statement to the police. Mr. Mehmet recounted the encounter, explaining that he had been approached by an individual dressed in feminine attire. The suspect attempted to engage him in a transaction for services, involving physical contact. However, Mr. Mehmet firmly declined and pushed the individual away. To his dismay, he later realized that his gold necklace, valued at 25,000 baht, had mysteriously disappeared. Convinced that the culprit was a transgender person, commonly referred to as a katoey, Mr. Mehmet expressed his confidence in identifying the responsible party. He admitted to being aware of previous incidents involving tourists being targeted by transsexuals and had always exercised caution. Unfortunately, he had not anticipated becoming a victim himself.
Following the initial report, Police Capt. Pansan Krongsit promptly coordinated with fellow officers from Pattaya City Police Station to commence a thorough investigation. They began by interviewing witnesses in the vicinity and carefully examining CCTV footage in the area to track down the suspect. The police are committed to pursuing the legal process diligently and bringing the perpetrator to justice.
