PHUKET — A Thai transgender woman was caught on Wednesday morning after snatching a bracelet from a foreign tourist jogging along Patong Beach Road.
The incident occurred on July 30 in the Patong subdistrict of Phuket’s Kathu district. The suspect knocked down the tourist, causing visible injuries to her elbow, before attempting to flee.
A lifeguard, a sanitation worker, and several locals sprang into action and detained the suspect until Patong Police arrived. The lifeguard returned the stolen bracelet to the tourist, who expressed gratitude to her rescuers.
The incident, captured on video and shared by Newshawk Phuket, sparked widespread social media reactions. Some viewers claimed the suspect matched the description of an individual involved in a prior phone-snatching case targeting a male tourist.
When confronted, the suspect offered an evasive explanation, claiming she jogs regularly along the beach herself.
Police identified the suspect as Mr. Naphasinee from Nakhon Si Thammarat province. He was taken into custody and charged with theft. Authorities also commended the quick response by bystanders and awarded a commendation to the lifeguard who led the capture.
