Khon Kaen couple forgives market pickpocket

TA Thai woman and her foreign husband chose not to press charges after a suspected pickpocket took 100 baht from the woman's pocket at a Khon Kaen night market.

The couple, who had travelled from Phuket, recovered the money after the husband chased the woman shown in CCTV footage. They then gave the suspect 40 baht before leaving Bang Phai Night Bazaar, according to market vendors.

CCTV shows theft at food stall

The footage was shared online by a food vendor as a warning to Thai shoppers and international visitors. It shows a woman allegedly taking a 100-baht note from the pocket of a Thai customer while the customer and her husband were choosing food at a sausage stall.

The victim reportedly felt somebody touch her pocket and quickly discovered the money was gone. She alerted her husband, who ran after the suspected thief.

Picture courtesy of Facebook/ ข่าวคนบ้านไผ่ 2

Nattapalin, a 48-year-old sausage seller, told Channel 7 that Bang Phai Night Bazaar regularly receives foreign visitors, including many married to local residents. She said the couple in the video had come from Phuket, while the Thai woman is originally from Khon Kaen.

Vendors call for official action

Another vendor, Thatsanee, 42, said the foreign husband got the stolen cash back. Despite the couple's decision to forgive the suspect, she said vendors wanted police and relevant government agencies to address the matter.

Thatsanee claimed the woman's behaviour had repeatedly troubled people at the market and could harm Khon Kaen's tourism image.

Nattapalin said the suspected pickpocket was known around the market for asking vendors and visitors for food and money. However, she said she had not personally seen the woman steal before and could not confirm whether she had been involved in previous thefts.

The vendor also claimed that the woman had family problems, later lived alone, and had previously been offered work by officials from the Khon Kaen Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office, which she allegedly refused. Nattapalin further alleged that the woman relied on begging and spent much of the money on alcohol. These claims have not been independently verified.

Police and local authorities had made no public statement on the incident or any possible investigation at the time of publication.

What visitors should bear in mind

For foreign residents and visitors, the case is a reminder to keep cash, phones and wallets secured when browsing busy Thai markets, where shoppers can be closely packed around food stalls. The amount involved was small, but pickpocketing can be more disruptive for travellers carrying passports, bank cards or hotel keys.

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23 July 2026

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