The employee, Sunisa Minlamai, who works at the 7-Eleven on Sirirat Rd in Patong, called police to tell them that a tourist had come into the store and used scissors to threaten her, stealing B2,000.
When police arrived a few minutes later they found Ms Sunisa and he colleague Sauwarat Muckchok shaking with fear in the store.
Ms Sunisa explained that she was checking stock on the shelves when a tourist came in and told her that he wanted to return the cell phone he had bought on the Thursday (February 13) for B1,200. It did not work, he said, and he wanted his money back.
She told him that she did not have the authority to refund his money, and asked him to wait for the shop’s manager.
The tourist left the store, then came back a minute later, she said, and walked straight to one of the shelves where he grabbed a pair of scissors, which he then used to threaten her. Terrified, she gave him B2,000. He then walked out and rode away on a Honda Click motorcycle.
Ms Sunisa managed to get the number of the motorbike and gave this to police.
Pol Maj Suthichai Theinpoa ordered a check of CCTV footage, and alerted other officers to keep a lookout for the bike.
Police soon located the suspect at Lucky Mansion in Patong and arrested him.
The suspect’s name was given as Lahkim Riad, 38, from France. After his arrest Ms Sunisa identified him as the man who had threatened her. Police are now looking for the scissors as evidence in the case they are building against the Frenchman