Police in Bangkok have arrested a Norwegian man accused of attempting to steal both a tuk-tuk and a bicycle in separate incidents along Sukhumvit Road on December 5. The 33-year-old foreign national was detained in front of a hotel in Thong Lor after patrol officers tracked his movements following multiple reports from victims.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Witawat Chinnakam, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 5, instructed officers from Thong Lor Police Station to locate the suspect after the first alert came in from the Sukhumvit Soi 25 area. Officers later found him holding a red bicycle near the entrance of Soi Thong Lor, Sukhumvit 55.
The case began when officers were informed of an altercation involving a tuk-tuk driver identified as Wasan. According to the driver, the man approached him under the guise of asking for directions. As Wasan engaged with him, the suspect allegedly pushed him out of the vehicle in an attempt to take control of it. The driver quickly removed the keys, preventing the tuk-tuk from being driven away, which caused the suspect to abandon the situation and flee on foot toward Sukhumvit Road.
Continuing along the busy street, the suspect reached Soi Sukhumvit 43, where he encountered a woman named Sunnee riding her bicycle. She told authorities that the man blocked her path, causing her to fall and sustain minor injuries. The suspect then took her bicycle and rode off in the direction of Thong Lor. The two incidents occurred within a short span of time, prompting multiple calls to police and a coordinated response from patrol teams.
Officers later located the suspect near a hotel on Thong Lor Road. Police reported that he refused to cooperate with commands and attempted to run, forcing officers to restrain him for safety. Both victims were brought to identify the suspect, and each confirmed he was the individual involved in their respective encounters.
Police added that the man may be experiencing mental health difficulties, based on his behavior during arrest and later at the station. He was charged with attempted robbery and causing harm to another person. After being placed in a holding cell, officers said the man injured himself by hitting his head on the bars and was subsequently provided medical care. The bicycle was taken as evidence, and the investigation is ongoing.
In a separate case also involving a Norwegian national, police in Mueang Surat Thani recently arrested a man wanted for attempted murder following an incident on Koh Samui. According to reports, the suspect, identified as Elmer, fired a crossbow during a domestic dispute on June 19. The projectile narrowly missed the intended target, striking the woman’s phone while she was attempting to call police. He was detained at the Surat Thani Bus Terminal on June 23 while allegedly attempting to flee the province.
