Pol Lt Col Akanit Danpitaksan Superintendent of Criminal Police in Kathu, and Kathu Inspector Pol Maj Somsak Thongklieng said that the three were Sarayut Aisuwan, 19; Chanatip Sukchu, 19; and a 17-year-old who for legal reasons may not be named.
Police broke the case after Sirawit Banpeung came into the police station with a Blackberry mobile phone which he said had been stolen by a relative who lived with him – the 17-year-old.
The phone was registered to Narumon Thongkamkong, who had been robbed some time before in the same place as the tourist. Questioning the 17-year-old they learned that he had worked with Sarayut on that robbery.
Sarayut was pulled in and gave Chanatip’s name as his partner in last night’s robbery of the tourist. Chanatip, too, was arrested.
All three admitted to the robberies, saying they wanted money to buy supplies of the kratom-and-cough-mixture cocktail See Koon Loy (4x100)
They also admitted “about eight or 10” similar robberies in the past few weeks. The investigation is in progress and the trio are behind bars.