Man arrested for snatching British tourist’s bag says he needed money for two wives

2026-03-03 - 13:43

Bangkok police have arrested a 33 year old man accused of snatching a handbag from a young British tourist in December, allegedly telling officers he committed the crime to support his two wives. Officers from Bang Rak Police Station apprehended Thanit “Nui” Meesaeng, a native of Ayutthaya province, on 2 March at around 19:20 in front of a 7 Eleven convenience store in Prachasongkhro 23 alley, Din Daeng district. He was wanted under a Criminal Court warrant issued on 27 February on charges of robbery. The arrest followed a complaint filed by a 21 year old British woman who reported that at about 12:50 on 13 December 2025, she was walking along Surawong Road opposite the Grand Centre Point Surawong hotel when a suspect on a motorcycle rode up from behind and snatched her bag before fleeing. Inside were a silver iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Pandora bracelets worth about 60,000 baht in total, and 3,000 baht in cash. Investigators said they gathered evidence before seeking a warrant for Thanit’s arrest. During questioning, he allegedly confessed, claiming that income from working as a motorcycle taxi rider via an app was insufficient and that he needed money to support his two wives. Police said a background check showed he had previously committed a similar offense in the Nang Loeng area. He has been handed over to investigators at Bang Rak Police Station for legal proceedings.