Russian Who Robbed Money Exchange in Pattaya Arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport

CHON BURI – Police in the seaside city of Pattaya, launched a massive manhunt for Russian national, who robbed a currency exchange booth in Na Jomtien area of Sattahip district and assaulted a female staffer before making off with cash worth almost 1 million baht on Saturday morning.

Police immediately rushed to the currency exchange booth on Sukhumvit Road opposite Ambasador Jomtien Hotel in tambon Na Jomtien, of Sattahip district, Chon Buri province, after being alerted about the robbery.

Sunee Kaewyoo, 30, a staffer of the exchange booth, was found badly hurt with severe face injuries. She was sent to a hospital.

Footage of a closed circuit television camera in the area captured a large foreign man with a crash helmet punching Ms Sunee in the face more than 10 times until she collapsed. The man, with tattoos on his left arm, then took a bag containing almost one million baht in cash and fled on a black Honda motorcycle with Chon Buri license plates.

Police examined the bike and found it was rented by a Russian national Nikolay Rybalov. It was later found parked at a house at Dusit Lake housing estate in Bang Lamung district.

The initial investigation found that Rybalov had changed the vehicle and fled in a car.

32 year-old Nikolay Rybalov, was later arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport where he had booked a flight on Qatar Airways to Doha Qatar.

By Chaiyot Pupattanapong