The recently launched Tourist Assistance Foundation served its first crime victim in Pattaya, coming to the aid of an elderly Swedish man who was robbed and left penniless by a woman he took back to his hotel.
Cherif Hafsaoui, 68, was forced to live at the Pattaya Police Station for several days after he took a woman to his hotel room the first night he was in town. The next morning he awoke to find 30,000 baht in cash and credit cards gone with the woman.
The Tourist Assistance Foundation was able to serve its first crime victim in Pattaya, coming to the aid of Swede Cherif Hafsaoui.
Days later he was spotted dirty and destitute in the station by Kwanchanok Thana of the Ministry of Interior-established foundation. She contacted the Swedish embassy and also provided him 10,000 baht from the Pattaya Tourist Assistance Fund.
Together with the embassy, Hafsaoui was able to contact his son in Sweden to send him money. The tourist paid off his hotel and was able to book a ticket home.
Pattaya police chief Col. Supathee Bungkhrong said the Swede’s case was the first for the new foundation, which now stations two officers in the lobby of the Pattaya station.
There was no mention made whether the thieving woman would be tracked down to face judgment.
