PATTAYA, Thailand – In a daring daylight robbery on April 19, two thieves targeted the Pattaya City Public Library in Soi 7 Thepprasit Road, making off with a cache of electrical wires, compressors, and copper air conditioning pipes. Assistant librarian Ms. Nongnuch witnessed the perpetrators transporting the stolen items, including the air compressor, on separate motorcycles. Sawad Somwong, a worker at the Pattaya Youth Sports Center, gave chase for over five kilometres and captured video evidence, but the culprits managed to evade capture.
Despite the theft, the library continued to operate, albeit with significant disruptions. Nongnuch said that this incident was not an isolated one, saying that previous thefts including one on April 15 during the Songkran holiday, power lines were also cut.
Mayor Poramet Ngampichet ordered immediate repairs and replacement of air conditioning units in the library. He also directed Pattaya police to expedite the investigation and legal proceedings against the suspects, emphasizing the urgency of swift action in addressing the situation.