Mr Konoksak Promdaeng, 21, yesterday morning picked up a group of Chinese tourists – members of a famous news agency in Beijing – from their hotel in Thalang's Pak klok sub-district, dropping the group off at the boat pier in Rassada for an afternoon outing at sea.
Prior to leaving on the boat, the Chinese tourists entrusted their bags containing their valuables with Mr Konoksak, who secured them in the baggage compartment on the bottom of the bus.
Upon returning to their hotel late in the afternoon, several of the tourists noticed that valuables they had put in their bags were missing, and filed a report at Thalang Police Station at around 5:30pm.
Wasting no time to investigate, police searched the bus, which was now parked in the area of the OrBorJor Hospital in Rassada, and was manned by Mr Konaksak. But police found nothing, and searched Mr Kanoksak's Rassada home, where they found the stolen items – 700 Yuan in cash, gold rings, i-phones and mobile phones of various other brands.
The investigation was wrapped up by about 9pm.
Mr Konoksak finally admitted that he had stolen the items, and confessed that it wasn't the first time. He told police that he stole from tourists regularly to pay for drugs because his monthly salary wasn't enough to support his habit.
Mr Konoksak is in custody and has been charged.