Confabulating Israeli Claims He Was Robbed Of......

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SOURCE: Pattaya People: February 15th 2007

Israeli tourist assault mystery

On the 15th of February at 12.20 am Pattaya Police were called to the scene of a robbery and assault at the Inside Garden Resort, Central Pattaya.

Police rushed to the scene to find Israeli tourist Mr. Nahm Ias, aged 46, who quickly explained to Police that whilst he was in his unlocked room a Thai woman opened the door and walked in with two farangs, one of which he assumed was possibly an Israeli.

After entering, they attacked this singular victim and stole 290,000 baht and 40,000 baht in valuables.

One of the foreigners was white and tall, dressed with a black T-shirt and cream coloured shorts . The other individual had a tanned appearance and was small with curly hair, dressed in a red T-shirt and white shorts.

A witness told Police that the offenders rode off on a motorbike towards Pattaya 3rd Road.

The descriptions of the offenders were sent out to the official network of Police and Volunteers. Incredibility, within 33 minutes, two of three suspects, male and female, were spotted at the entrance of a Soi leading from the scene. When the foreign man saw Police he began to run away. However the lazier suspect, the woman, stood still and was seized along with the foreign national after a brief chase.

The two were identified as Mr. Shalom, aged 35 from Israel and Miss Chuttigan Sudjantuk. They explained to police that they have lived together for about one year and the reason the Israeli ran away after spotting police was because his visa has ran out

Mr. Nahm Ias was called to identify the two by Police. However, the victim was unsure if the two apprehended where actually the ones responsible for the crime and could not make a positive identification.

Police told Mr. Nahm Ias to go to the Police Station for further inquiry and gave comment with regards to Mr. Nahm’s statement, clearly indicating they think he may not be telling the full story and are unclear why this may be the case.

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A different version of events in this news clipping:

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: February 15th 2007

Israeli men detained after brawl and suspected robbery in Hotel.

A bizarre incident now the Inside Garden Resort in North Pattaya. Police Lieutenant Colonel Sirichai from Pattaya Police station was called to the Resort in the early hours of Thursday Morning after hearing of an Israeli Tourist who had been injured after a fight with a fellow Israeli Resident at the Resort.

Police arrived and spoke with Mr. Avriham Nahmias aged 46 who explained that two friends, Mr. Salom and Mr. Ron Zilai had come to his room earlier, along with Mr. Salom’s girlfriend, Khun Shootigarn aged 30. Mr. Nahmias claimed that his two so-called friends entered his room and assaulted him before stealing 300,000 Baht in cash, an ATM card and his passport while Khun Shootigarn acted as lookout outside the room.

Police located Khun Shootigarn but could not find Mr. Salom or Mr. Zilai, the two alleged attackers. Khun Shootigarn claimed that she was unaware of any altercation and had only come to the Hotel to collect a bag from reception. Police made a check of nearby wasteland and discovered Mr. Salom hiding in undergrowth.

He initially resisted arrest and claimed that he was scared of being arrested because his passport and visa had expired. Everyone was taken back to Pattaya Police Station where the investigation is still ongoing. A Police Source did tell us that the men are involved in illegal drugs but would not reveal anything else in fear of compromising the investigation. If we receive any updates on this story you will be the first to know.

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******NEWS******UPDATE******

SOURCE: Pattaya Mail: March 2nd 2007

Two foreign men accused of breaking into the Pattaya hotel room of an Israeli visitor to beat and rob him were seized by police in Bangkok the following day under an arrest warrant issued by Pattaya Provincial Court.

Bojan Papo, a 27-year-old Australian citizen, and Ron Bazilai, 33, an Israeli, were still in possession of the 290,000 baht they are accused of stealing from their victim.

Late at night on February 15, the two men were alleged to have gone to the room of Nahm Iasav Raham, a 46-year-old Israeli who was staying at a hotel in Naklua.

Raham subsequently told police that he was taking a rest in his room and had the door open when a man he knew well, and who he identified as Bazilai, had entered with an unknown man and attacked him, punching him and hitting him with an iron bar.

Raham had escaped from his room and called the police. When he went back he discovered that a bag containing 290,000 baht in Thai currency and euros, plus his passport, an ATM card and his cell phone had been taken.

The two men had already taken a taxi and fled, but police investigations revealed they were hiding out at the Nonsri Residence on Chuaploeng Road, in the Yannawa district of Bangkok. Police officers arrested them as they were walking out of the secluded hotel.

Pol Maj Gen Panya Mamen, commander-in-chief of the Tourist Police, who announced the arrests at a police briefing on the morning of February 17, said that both of the accused men denied the charges, but they had been caught with all the evidence and he was confident there was a case against them.

Bazilai has lived in Thailand for 14 years, and is the owner of an Israeli restaurant on Khaosarn Road. He had met Raham in Pattaya, and asked him several times for money. Raham said he always gave money to the accused, because he felt that he was helping a fellow countryman. On the day of the robbery, however, Raham had refused. This had led to the assault.