PATTAYA, Thailand – On August 30, at approximately 1.25 a.m., CCTV footage captured a 20-year-old Thai male attempting to steal items from a convenience store on Pattaya Walking Street by stuffing them into his pants. The thief tried to leave the store unnoticed, but was thwarted when a vigilant store employee noticed suspicious behaviour and intervened. In response, the young man struck the female employee before fleeing the scene.
Kitti Chansitthikul, a 30-year-old special affairs officer for Pattaya City, recounted the incident, noting that he had been nearby when locals and tourists shouted for help. Kitti managed to catch the thief as he fled. The stolen item, a frozen meal, was recovered from the suspect.
Identified as 21-year-old ‘Bank’ (a pseudonym), the thief admitted to the crime, citing hunger as his motivation despite having some money. He explained that the cash he had was intended for purchasing medicine for his grandmother. The store owner decided not to press charges, leaving the matter to the police, who issued a warning before releasing the thief.
