Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

 

A 31-year-old man has been arrested by Pattaya police after he was found acting suspiciously outside a gold shop in a Lotus shopping mall, allegedly intending to commit a robbery after losing his wife’s rent money playing the stock market.

 

Mr. Phoemphon 31, was apprehended at the North Pattaya shopping centre, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, at approximately 18:35 on 29 June. Officers recovered an air gun, a backpack, four shirts and two pairs of trousers believed to be part of a disguise used in the attempted crime.

 

Police had been conducting routine patrols to ensure the safety of gold shops and banks within the mall when they noticed a man dressed inappropriately for the weather, wearing a thick coat, face mask and motorcycle helmet. He was seen loitering and intently watching the gold shop, raising suspicions that he was surveying the premises with malicious intent.

 

Upon approach by officers, the suspect refused to comply with a search and attempted to flee. A struggle ensued in the middle of the mall, prompting officers and a helpful civilian to subdue him. During the arrest, officers sustained minor injuries.

 

 

A subsequent search revealed the suspect was wearing multiple layers of clothing, four shirts and two pairs of trousers. Inside his backpack, officers discovered an air gun. The suspect was promptly taken to Pattaya Police Station for further questioning.

 

During interrogation, Mr. Phoemphon admitted he had indeed planned to rob the gold shop but had hesitated at the last moment. His arrest occurred before he could carry out the crime.

 

He confessed that the motivation stemmed from financial distress. He claimed he had used money given to him by his 22-year-old partner, intended for rent and baby care expenses, to invest in the stock market. Unfortunately, the market downturn left him penniless, leading to the ill-conceived plan to commit robbery.

 

Police charged him with resisting arrest and obstructing law enforcement officers. Additional charges related to the planned robbery are under consideration. He is currently in custody pending legal proceedings.

 

The suspect’s partner, seen holding their 7-month-old daughter at the station, was visibly distraught. Through tears, she explained that Mr. Phoemphon had only told her he was going to meet a friend and gave no indication of his intentions. She also noted that he had previously lived overseas with his mother and only returned to Thailand two years ago, during which time he developed a deep interest in trading stocks.

 

Pattaya Police Superintendent, Pol. Col. Anake Srathongyu, praised the vigilance and quick thinking of the patrol officers, particularly Pol. Sub-Lt. Sawai Anurak and Pol. Sgt. Nuntawat Sriwiset, whose proactive actions may have prevented a serious crime.

 

He added that the Pattaya Police remain committed to maintaining public safety through stringent patrols and high alert, particularly around vulnerable commercial areas.

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-07-01

 

 

 

34 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

man has been arrested by Pattaya police after he was found acting suspiciously outside a gold shop

 

34 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

 he had previously lived overseas with his mother

Lots of foreigners, on soi Buakhou acting suspiciously outside beer bars, most have lived overseas with their mother 😂

 

Cops should arrest these guys. 

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58 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

 

Lots of foreigners, on soi Buakhou acting suspiciously outside beer bars, most have lived overseas with their mother 😂

 

Cops should arrest these guys. 

Quite an assumption there. Acting suspiciously is just a guess, as no one knows another's motives. How many of these foreigners do you personally know, acting suspiciously, who lived with their moms overseas? I'm thinking zero. They only had reasonable suspicion when he ran away, hence the arrest. What you're seeing is people drunk outside beer bars, which isn't suspicious but normal behavior for drunks. Normal behavior for you is lumping a lot of foreigners together. 

Bickering posts removed.

 

Discuss the topic and not other posters.

Has there ever been a successful gold shop robbery where the perp got away scot free with a bag of loot, and wasn't tracked by 132 security cameras while riding his scooter to his Grandma's house?