PATTAYA, Thailand – Thai police freed three tourists from a townhouse in Nong Prue on the afternoon of July 27, 2026. The men had been held captive by a gang for more than five days.
The suspected attackers – four Pakistanis and one Indian – initially escaped but have now all been arrested. Investigators from Chonburi Immigration and Pattaya Police suspect a network that used cheap travel packages as bait.
Police surround the hideout at 4pm
Around 4pm, a joint team led by Police Colonel Anek Srathongyu, chief of Pattaya City Police Station, along with superintendents from Chonburi Immigration and Nong Prue Police Station, moved in. Members of the Indian Association of Pattaya were also present. The target: a two-storey townhouse at 36/4 Moo 13, near the Phuyai Kui Market intersection.
Officers surrounded the building after relatives in India raised the alarm. The suspects saw them coming and fled on motorcycles in different directions. On the upper floor, rescue teams found the three victims.
Victims found in dire condition
Two of the young men were in a bedroom, a third in a side room. All three had been immobilised and were in visibly poor condition. Rescue workers gave immediate first aid.
The victims described the ordeal: the gang subjected them to massive psychological pressure, staged threat scenarios, and denied them food and water. The attackers also used physical violence, photographed and filmed the victims, and sent the footage as a threat to relatives to force payment. One of the rescued men said after the rescue he felt he had “been given a new life”. They immediately contacted their families in India.
Lured in with 70,000 baht travel package
According to police, Haimanshu (23), Ehis (24), and Meghid (26) booked a seven-day travel package for about 70,000 baht each. On July 21, they landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 5am and took a taxi to a McDonald’s on Sukhumvit Road in Pattaya.
There, an Indian man on a motorcycle picked them up – one by one. He took them straight to the townhouse in Soi Mab Ta Toi. As soon as they arrived, the gang seized them. From then on, they were held captive and put under pressure.
Satellite phone and ransom from Dubai
The kidnappers forced the men to call their relatives in India using a satellite phone. The calls were routed through numbers registered in the United Arab Emirates. The gang demanded a total of 7 million rupees, around 2.5 million baht.
Police Colonel Naphatphong Khositsuriyamanee from Chonburi Immigration admitted that tracing the calls caused major problems for investigators. Only through tips from the victims’ circle did they manage to locate the hideout.
All five suspects arrested
Just before the raid, the suspected perpetrators – four Pakistani men and one Indian – escaped on motorcycles in different directions. Investigators have now tracked down all five suspects and executed arrest warrants. They are in pre-trial detention.
The three rescued tourists are now safe and receiving care. Investigators are checking the backgrounds and possible further members of the network.
Spokesman warns against unusually cheap offers
Police Colonel Parinya Klinkaesorn, spokesman for Immigration Bureau 3, issued a clear warning to foreign visitors.
I therefore want to warn foreign tourists to be more careful when choosing travel packages, especially with offers that are unusually cheap or with providers whose identity cannot be verified.
said Parinya Klinkaesorn, Police Colonel and Immigration Bureau 3 spokesman.
Investigators believe a network worked deliberately with bait offers. The victims trusted the fake agents and fell into the attackers’ hands shortly after entering the country.
Thailand remains a safe travel destination
Authorities stressed that Thailand remains a safe travel destination. Entry controls follow international standards, based on national and international security databases. Anyone not on a blacklist, without an arrest warrant or relevant prior convictions, is allowed to enter.
According to police, crimes like this case occur only after legal entry. But officers are ready to help victims and consistently prosecute perpetrators.
2.5 million Indians travel to Thailand each year
Indian tourists form the second-largest group after Chinese, with around 2.5 million visitors per year. Only a tiny fraction – under 0.1 percent – commit crimes. The immigration spokesman stressed that police take strict action against cross-border crime and so-called grey capital groups. Every violation is punished consistently.
Investigation expands – tips welcome
The five suspects are in pre-trial detention. Investigators are checking backgrounds and possible further participants. The Indian Association of Pattaya continues to support the authorities in the investigation. The immigration office asks for help from the public.
Anyone who notices suspicious activity can contact the immigration office at www.immigration.go.th or report in person at the Chalerm-Phrakiat Building, No. 904, Moo 6, Tambon Ban Mai, Amphoe Pak Kret, Nonthaburi Province 11120.