A Chinese tourist was robbed after a masked youth picked a fight with him as a diversion to his gold-snatching scheme.
Zhu Tianming, 39, told police he was walking with some friends on Naklua Soi 14 when a man with a bandana covering part of his face approached him and threatened him. Before he knew it, the masked man threw a punch, but missed.
Zhu called his friends for help and, as he did, the assailant stole his gold chain worth about 50,000 baht and ran off.
Police were questioning witnesses and checking CCTV cameras to identify the thief.
