PATTAYA - Three foreign tourists, one a woman, were attacked and robbed of thousands of baht in two incidents in the Pattaya area, Chon Buri province, early on Friday morning.
Police said the men were from Japan and Sweden, and the woman from Russia.
Takayuki Kameyama, 41, who was visiting Pattaya for the first time, was knocked down by two Thai men on LK Metro Road about 2.30am.
The Swede, identified only as Stephen, 44, witnessed the attack and tried to help the Japanese, but he was knocked out by a kick to his chin. The Japanese tourist suffered a deep cut in his mouth.
The thugs took about 5,000 baht in cash and ran off with a Thai woman, Mr Kameyama told police.
Police later arrested Pattana Muensaeng, 24, and Patiphan Thuekhwamsue, 28. They denied attacking the tourists. In April last year they were charged with assaulting a British tourist, police said.
The Swede was given first aid at the scene of the robbery and recovered.
About 6am Danupol Chiangthong, 26, brought 28-year-old Russian Laila Ibrahimova to local police. He said he found her walking in tears and seeking help on a side road in the Jomtien area.
She said she had been in Pattaya's Walking Street and hired a taxi motorcycle outside Siam Bayshore Resort to return to her room, but the man instead took her beyond there to the side road, where he snatched her bag containing US$100 and 140 baht in cash, a mobile phone and her documents.
Then the man shoved her on the ground and causing cuts and bruises, before speeding off on his motorcycle.
Police were checking surveillance camera footage in the area to identify the thief, and said they would find out if he was a real taxi motorcyclist, or just pretending.