Vietnamese woman caught stealing from Songkran templegoers

A Vietnamese woman has been arrested by Phra Ratchawang Police for slashing a tourist's bag and stealing money from Songkran merit-makers and visitors at a temple in Bangkok. She confessed to working with a fellow Vietnamese national whom she met in the Pratunam area.

Metropolitan Police has arrested Nguyen T., a 42-year-old Vietnamese national, under a warrant issued by the Criminal Court dated April 12, 2025, on charges of joint theft at a public place of worship.

The arrest was made around 5.30pm on April 12 at a hotel in Soi Rang Nam, Phaya Thai Road, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok. 

Officers seized several items believed to be connected to the crime, including the suspect’s outfit worn during the incident, a mobile phone, foreign currency (US dollars, Indonesian rupiah, Malaysian ringgit, and Vietnamese dong), three wallets, two box cutters, and one cutter blade.

Following the arrest, police also conducted a search at an apartment in Soi Lat Phrao 134, Khlong Chan, Bang Kapi District, where further evidence was recovered.

The investigation began after a 56-year-old Thai woman reported to Phra Ratchawang Police that her shoulder bag was slashed while visiting a temple in the Tha Tian area at around 9.30am on April 12. Her wallet, containing 3,000 baht in cash, a national ID card, four credit cards, and one ATM card, was stolen.

Investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the scene and identified two female suspects. Based on the evidence, the Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for both individuals.

Later that same day, at approximately 5pm, police received a tip from an informant who spotted a woman matching the suspect’s description at a hotel in Soi Rang Nam. Officers arrived at the scene and identified the woman as Nguyen T. She admitted to being the person named in the warrant and confirmed her involvement in the theft. She also revealed that her accomplice, a fellow Vietnamese national she met in the Pratunam area, fled separately after the crime, and her current whereabouts are unknown.

She told police she had stored the stolen items in her apartment in Soi Lat Phrao 134. Officers later recovered the evidence from the location.

The suspect and the seized items have been handed over to Phra Ratchawang investigators for legal proceedings. Authorities are continuing their efforts to track down the second suspect.

(2025/04/13-00:00)