Police released a Thai man who claimed to be wealthy but fled without paying bills totalling over 23,000 baht at two restaurants in Pattaya.
A restaurant owner filed a dine-and-dash complaint at Mueang Pattaya Police Station on June 22. However, he had to turn to Channel 7 because police released the suspect free, even after he had confessed to the offence.
The owner explained that the suspect boasted about his job and income while dining at the restaurant, claiming he worked aboard a luxury cruise ship and earned tens of thousands of baht per day.
The man ordered a large amount of food and drinks at 7,690 baht for himself and a woman he had just met at the venue. He even borrowed 4,000 baht from the owner, saying it was for tipping staff and women he liked.
The restaurant owner also shared CCTV footage of the incident with the media. The video showed the suspect leaving the restaurant casually, even pausing to speak with a woman before disappearing. Both the woman and the staff believed he would return, but he never did.
Frustrated by the lack of police action, the owner decided to track the suspect down himself. He identified the man as 25 year old Wanchalong and found him at an internet café on Pattaya Sai Sam Road.
The owner brought him to the police, where Wanchalong admitted to the crime. However, officers released him, stating it was not a flagrant offence.
The case quickly gained attention among locals, particularly business operators in the area. Another victim, 36 year old Siriluck, came forward to Channel 7, revealing that Wanchalong skipped out on a bill of over 10,000 baht at her restaurant and had also failed to repay 2,000 baht he borrowed.
Both restaurant owners stated that they are compiling additional evidence to submit to the police to formally summon Wanchalong.
Wanchalong’s escape contrasts sharply with the case of a British man in Phuket, who reportedly tried to leave a bar on Bangla Road without paying. He was stopped and attacked by a group of ladyboys outside the venue.
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