Photo courtesy of Khaosod

 

A 34-year-old Israeli man, identified only as Bar, was apprehended early Friday morning following an attempted theft in Pattaya. The incident began at a massage parlor where the man allegedly demanded a refund for a completed service before seizing donation envelopes meant for a temple. The ensuing chase through Pattaya’s busy entertainment district ended with local motorcycle taxi drivers restraining the suspect until police could arrive.

 

The confrontation started after Bar reportedly requested a refund for a full hour traditional Thai massage, which cost 300 baht ($9.2). When the masseuse, known as Noi, declined, Bar allegedly took temple donation envelopes from the counter and left. The funds were intended for Wat Tham Pha Thong in Phetchabun Province.

 

Passersby and locals quickly responded, with motorcycle taxi drivers playing a crucial role in apprehending the thief as he fled towards Soi 5 on Pattaya Beach Road. Upon apprehension, the police discovered the donation envelopes hidden in his trouser pocket. Authorities expressed astonishment at the involvement of a foreign national in the theft of religious offerings.

 

During his initial questioning, Bar claimed ignorance about the contents of the envelopes, suggesting his actions stemmed from frustration over the refused refund. However, law enforcement officials are skeptical about his explanation, opting to detain him for further interrogation. Bar faces pending charges and will be handed over to prosecutors for formal legal proceedings.

 

Looking forward, the case is expected to proceed with additional questioning to verify the suspect’s account and intentions during the incident. Authorities are also investigating any previous offenses or behaviors that might inform Bar’s motivations.

 

Key Takeaways

• An Israeli man took temple donation envelopes from a massage parlor in Pattaya after being denied a refund.
• Locals and motorcycle taxi drivers captured the suspect following a chase in the entertainment district.
• The suspect claims ignorance of the envelopes’ contents, but police remain skeptical.

 

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khaosod 2025-10-17

 

 

Thai media coverage of the incident.

 

 

 

To be fair, a poor massage is extremely unsatisfying.

 

I always make sure to demand the youngest masseuse and and stipulate a woman below the age of 40. However, some spas do not a honour this request. I've had a woman who looked 58 or more turn up, which ruined the entire massage.

 

<removed>

Hopefully the guys he shares the cell with will learn what he did.

Sounds like the idiot was hoping for a happy ending and when he realised that wasn't coming ( pun intended), he demanded his money back.

No refund, so he liberated the donations intended for a temple in Petchabun.

What a twerp, send him down for three months to learn how to behave.

 

.

 

5 minutes ago, bannork said:

Sounds like the idiot was hoping for a happy ending and when he realised that wasn't coming ( pun intended), he demanded his money back.

No refund, so he liberated the donations intended for a temple in Petchabun.

What a twerp, send him down for three months to learn how to behave.

 

.

 

 

If that was the case one could understand his ire, though, because she would have charged a hefty premium for the happy ending.

 

To not then deliver is outright theft.

DO they only make certain nationalities pay upfront?  Been a while but I don't remember ever paying upfront.

Disrespectful low life.

4 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

    That joke gets posted numerous times everyday .

I saw one thread on FB where about 300 people all told that same joke in one thread of 600 replies .

   "Promised to them 3000 years ago* for the 3000 th time

 

Funny every time 

1 minute ago, KhaoHom said:

What are you on about? You can say yes or no before the massage. You don't need to take the woman "offered". 

 

Of course you do, when they tell you nobody else is available.

 

1 minute ago, KhaoHom said:

As for stealing donations. That's a new low even for this scum.

 

It's totally unheard of. Donations for a Buddhist monastery, whatever next.

 

A troll post baiting another member has been removed. 

 

An antisemitic troll post has been removed.

13 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

It's totally unheard of. Donations for a Buddhist monastery, whatever next.

 

 

   There has been previous stories of foreigners stealing money from temples . 

   the last story that I recall of  foreigner stealing money from  Temple  and the thief came from I    ........I..........I

I

I

Italy 

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   There has been previous stories of foreigners stealing money from temples . 

   the last story that I recall of  foreigner stealing money from  Temple  and the thief came from I    ........I..........I

I

I

Italy 

 

Link or it didn't happen 

 

 

 

You're Jewish correct? Funny that 

1 minute ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Link or it didn't happen 

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/italian-expat-arrested-stealing-phuket-temple

5 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Link or it didn't happen 

 

American tourist nabbed for stealing from temple donation box in Thailand

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/american-tourist-nabbed-for-stealing-from-temple-donation-box-in-thailand

 

 

2 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

American tourist nabbed for stealing from temple donation box in Thailand

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/american-tourist-nabbed-for-stealing-from-temple-donation-box-in-thailand

 

 

 

Thank you 

 

Seriously doubt that was posted to here but whatever. 

 

I guess this is somehow supposed to make it right? 

 

This is called false equivalency

26 minutes ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Thank you 

Seriously doubt that was posted to here but whatever. 

I guess this is somehow supposed to make it right? 

This is called false equivalency

 

   Didn't you follow the discussion ?

Shall I explain how the discussion went ?

 

"It's totally unheard of. Donations for a Buddhist monastery, whatever next."

 

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

To be fair, a poor massage is extremely unsatisfying.

 

I always make sure to demand the youngest masseuse and and stipulate a woman below the age of 40. However, some spas do not a honour this request. I've had a woman who looked 58 or more turn up, which ruined the entire massage.

 

But I guess you have to be Israeli to demand a refund and then steal temple donation envelopes.

I skipped massages a long time ago. I just show up at the room now.

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

 

If that was the case one could understand his ire, though, because she would have charged a hefty premium for the happy ending.

 

To not then deliver is outright theft.

 

According to the story he paid for traditional Thai massage ........and that is what he got:

 

".....a full hour traditional Thai massage, which cost 300 baht ($9.2)."

 

I did the same the first time I went for a massage in Thailand, in 2008, and was surprised not to be offered "extras".

 

But I realised my mistake..... something that, given his "heritage", would be beyond his conception.

 

Pay for an Oil massage and you will be offered what he thought he was going to get.

 

 

2 hours ago, Enoon said:

 

According to the story he paid for traditional Thai massage ........and that is what he got:

 

".....a full hour traditional Thai massage, which cost 300 baht ($9.2)."

 

I did the same the first time I went for a massage in Thailand, in 2008, and was surprised not to be offered "extras".

 

But I realised my mistake..... something that, given his "heritage", would be beyond his conception.

 

Pay for an Oil massage and you will be offered what he thought he was going to get.

 

 

Based on his heritage?

WTF?

So you're saying all Jewish people are incapable of acknowledging mistakes and adjusting to that?

What kind of racist caca are you pushing?

2 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   Didn't you follow the discussion ?

Shall I explain how the discussion went ?

 

"It's totally unheard of. Donations for a Buddhist monastery, whatever next."

 

You can't argue logic to the irrationally obsessed.

3 hours ago, KhaoHom said:

 

Thank you 

 

Seriously doubt that was posted to here but whatever. 

 

I guess this is somehow supposed to make it right? 

 

This is called false equivalency

No it isn't. 

You used that term incorrectly.

5 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Just what is wrong with those guys? Causing upheaval left and right, refusing to pay for this and that, and a massage of all things right at the end, then stealing donations! That is low. Deport deport deport. Yes it happens with other nationalities—and there are good and bad blah blah—but not to this extent. The usual suspects will be along in a minute to label me an antisemite or whatever for pointing the obvious out. 🙄😴

 

It is the double standard that is applied.  The accused here may not have understood the intent of the envelope.  The thief here is not the only foreigner who has stolen donations. The fact that this was a dispute at the massage shop does not excuse the theft. The man appears to be a opportunistic petty criminal. He most likely  is a petty criminal in his homeland too. However, on any given day, the thefts of temple donations occur, although they are politely called misappropriation. When I lived in Phuket, the petty thefts by foreigners were a weekly event. I remember the infamous Australian who stole a beer mat from a bar. And then there were the English nationals who stole wallets on the beach, and the  French who stole motorbikes. and so on. For some time, Iranian thieves  were the flavour of the week.   Thailand is a destination for some of the world's scum.

 

Were you making  generalizations about the Indians who stole mango donations from a Wat a week ago? How about the US national who broke into the  Temple donation box a few years ago?  Did you demand that all US nationals be banned?

A 48-year-old American man was arrested last night and charged with stealing money from a donation box at Morkhamtuang Temple in the municipal area of Chiang Mai province, the Thai-language daily Thai Rath reported today (March 31). Alerted by the temple’s abbot, police detectives tracked down the suspect via CCTVs and caught him inside a game shop in the middle of the city. He first denied the charge, but confessed after the police showed a camera footage of him bicycling to and from the temple. Police also seized 1,420 baht in cash, a chisel, and a green bicycle from the suspect, who said this was the third time that he had stolen money from the temple.

Did you wag you accusatory finger when the  32 year old was arrested after she tried to force open a donation box in the hall of Wat Kasatttrathirat in tambon Ban Phrom of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district?

 

Sometimes the thefts are brazen like the Abbot of Wat Phrabatnampu temple who set up a hospice in Lopburi for people with HIV/Aids  who was arrested for alleged embezzlement of donations to the care home. Sometimes they are outrageous like the Abbot Phra Thammachiranuwat from Wat Rai Khing outside of Bangkok who was arrested  for siphoning more than 300 million baht (US $9.05 million) from the temple's bank account into his own. Investigators traced funds from the temple on Bangkok's western outskirts to an illegal online gambling network running baccarat card games.

 

29 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

No it isn't. 

You used that term incorrectly.

 

FALSE EQUIVALENCE: 

 

Apples and Oranges....

 

If A is the set containing c and d, and B is the set containing d and e, then since they both contain d, A and B are equal.

 

We know that both sets are not equivalent, do we not?

 

 

I love it when logic talks dirty to me.

 

 

 

 

42 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

racist caca

 

 

I once knew a very old grandmother, not Biblically, when I was young.

She was born in New Hampshire.

 

She loved the word, CACA....

 

She smoked like a chimney.

Wonderful old gal.

 

Truly, they do not make them like they used to.

 

 

The bigot brigade doesn't like facts to get in the way of  splashing blood libel and stirring up ignorant hate. There have been over 250,000 Israeli visitors to Thailand for the first 7 months of 2025. And out of that number there have been a  very small number of wrongdoers. On the contrary, the Israelis have been as law abiding as other low crime foreign visitors.

 

The historical data indicates that it is a subset of  Europeans who are responsible for much of the foreign caused crime. From time to time, there are data releases. Remember the crime problem in Phuket a few years ago? The governor had to hold a special meeting for the consuls in March. The Bangkok Post at the time reported that  More than 180 foreigners have faced criminal charges in the southern resort province of Phuket since the start of the year, with the top three offenders being nationals from Russia, France and the United Kingdom. Not much has changed  since then, anywhere in Thailand. The type of crimes attract specific nationals.  

This is why, or one more reason why, I have decided to NEVER leave my compound...again.

 

I prefer to remain happy inside my house, and the enclosure around my house.

 

I suggest that many of you do the same.

 

Best just to read about these things on TV, rather than to actually go outside and experience them...

First Hand.

 

7 hours ago, daveAustin said:

Just what is wrong with those guys? Causing upheaval left and right, refusing to pay for this and that, and a massage of all things right at the end, then stealing donations! That is low. Deport deport deport. Yes it happens with other nationalities—and there are good and bad blah blah—but not to this extent. The usual suspects will be along in a minute to label me an antisemite or whatever for pointing the obvious out. 🙄😴

Because one person of a certain ethnicity does it ?

Are all Aboriginal people in Alice Springs bad too ?

Im sure the police in Israel put up with it as well ,if they steal in Thailand they will steal in their own country 

16 minutes ago, chawbdurian said:

His people were promised those envelopes 3000 years ago

Another of so many examples of how random news about crimes by Israeli nationals in Thailand are used to promote ignorance about and hatred of Jews.

Somehow this is supposed to be OK. 

I'm curious about the very odd hairstyle with the big orange patch at the rear.

What's that all about?

Is he some sort of aging Tel Aviv hipster?

Covering up a medical condition of the scalp?

Just mentally unstable (based on his behavior, points for that)?

Or perhaps he's among the majority of Israelis who support Trump (and now celebrating the cease fire) and the orange top is a tribute?