An Iranian man was arrested after allegedly befriending three countrymen, taking them to Bangkok for sightseeing, then leaving them there to return to Pattaya to rob one of their hotel rooms.
Ali Esmaeili Bahmanabad, 36, was taken into custody Feb. 9 following a complaint from Majid Arabi, 41, two unidentified friends, and their lawyer. Police confiscated Majid’s digital camera from Bahmanabad, but did not recover the $2,200 and 9,600 baht reported stolen.
Arabi told police he and two friends met Bahmanabad and agreed to join him in a sight-seeing visit to Bangkok. During the trip, Arabi claimed, Bahmanabad said he had to return to Pattaya for an emergency.
While there, police said, the Iranian obtained Arabi’s room key from staff at his hotel on Soi Buakaow and stole cash and valuables. Bahmanabad denied the charges.
