Myanmar man arrested for stealing Vietnamese tourist’s bag at Bangkok shopping mall

2026-03-23 - 11:31

BANGKOK — Police have arrested a Myanmar national for allegedly stealing a Vietnamese tourist’s backpack at a shopping mall in central Bangkok, solving the case within two hours. The incident occurred at around 19:40 on 22 March, when Quach Thi Thanh Hien, a Vietnamese tourist, was shopping at a mall in the Pathumwan area. Her backpack was reportedly stolen without her noticing. She later filed a complaint with Pathumwan Police Station at 20:23. Investigators quickly reviewed CCTV footage and identified the suspect as a slim-built man wearing a T-shirt and dark trousers, who was seen leaving the mall towards Phaya Thai Road. Police tracked him to Soi Nomjit, where they found and arrested a 31-year-old Myanmar man identified as Lane. During questioning, the suspect, who can speak Thai fluently, confessed to the crime. Police recovered the stolen items from his room, including a black backpack and cash in multiple currencies, such as 9,500 baht, US dollars and Vietnamese dong. The victim later confirmed the belongings were hers. The suspect has been charged with theft at night and handed over to investigators for legal proceedings.