Three transvestites wanted for preying on tourists in Pattaya were arrested on Saturday after allegedly stealing a wallet from an Omani tourist and using his credit cards to buy goods worth more than 150,000 baht.
The trio -- Akkarathatsanai Chaiyarat, 33, Arthit Harnna 24, and Arthit Kunaphan, 33 -- were arrested separately in Chon Buri's beach city on Saturday and taken for a police news conference.
Seized from them were an iPhone 6 plus 2,000 baht in cash and more than 100 products, worth at least 150,000 baht.
The arrests were made following a complaint by Ahmed Khalid Mohamed AL Harthi, 25, an Omani national, that two transvestites had approached him while he was walking alone on the Walking Street in South Pattaya around 5.30am on Friday. The ladyboys then hugged him and left. The tourist later found his wallet had disappeared, said Pol Maj Gen Amphon Buarabporn, the Chon Buri police chief.
Police later detained Arthit Kunaphan, who admitted to having stolen the wallet, they said. Officers said he identified two others and said the trio had stolen wallets and valuables from other foreign tourists in Pattaya on several occasions.
Police later arrested the other two men at a local apartment, where they found 22 credit card slips for 155,469 baht worth of purchases, along with the items purchased.
The suspects initially claimed they used the stolen credit cards to buy goods for their personal use. But police said they believed the trio intended to sell goods to shops in exchange for cash.
All three are now in police custody facing theft charges.