NAKHON RATCHASIMA — Police have arrested two Chinese tourists accused of carrying out a brazen gold shop robbery in the Dan Kwian subdistrict of Chok Chai district, stealing rings worth about 300,000 baht before fleeing in a rental car. The suspects were detained later the same day in Bangkok after investigators traced their getaway vehicle, and the stolen items have since been recovered.

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The robbery took place at approximately 10:10 a.m. on April 27 in Dan Kwian subdistrict, a well-known pottery village that attracts both domestic and international visitors. Two masked men entered the gold shop while two female employees were inside. The staff, spotting the intruders, immediately fled to the back room for safety. The suspects, dressed in black long-sleeve shirts, shorts and face coverings, targeted a display cabinet containing gold rings.

According to police, the men were unable to access gold necklaces due to protective grills on the cabinets, so they used a hammer to smash the glass and grab the rings. The entire incident lasted approximately 30 seconds. The suspects then escaped in a white Toyota Yaris sedan without a visible licence plate, triggering a nationwide alert as authorities scrambled to track them down.

Investigators later identified the suspects as 27-year-old Zou Qintao from Guangdong province and 19-year-old Song Haolong from Sichuan province. The pair had entered Thailand as tourists and reportedly had Thai girlfriends. Police said initial investigations suggest they ran out of money during their stay, leading them to plan the robbery as a desperate solution to their financial problems.

Thai police have arrested two Chinese nationals in Bangkok suspected of carrying out a daring daylight robbery at a gold shop in Korat earlier on Monday, April 27th, 2026. All stolen gold items were recovered during the swift operation. The suspects claimed they were tourists who… pic.twitter.com/Fr1WoNDay4

— Pure Guava (@pureguava10300) April 27, 2026

Authorities traced the getaway vehicle to a rental company in Bangkok, leading officers to a car hire shop in Prawet district, where the two men were arrested. Police confirmed the suspects were found in possession of the stolen gold rings. No firearm was recovered, with the suspects allegedly claiming it had been discarded somewhere along their escape route.

The case has raised concerns about security at gold shops in tourist areas, as well as the monitoring of foreign visitors who may turn to crime when funds run low. Police coordinated with immigration officers and local units to secure the arrests swiftly, demonstrating effective cross-agency cooperation. Investigators from Nakhon Ratchasima provincial police travelled to Bangkok to take custody of the suspects for further questioning, and evidence is being compiled for prosecution.

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The two Chinese nationals now face robbery-related charges and will be prosecuted under Thai law. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether additional charges, such as illegal possession of weapons or entering the country with criminal intent, will be filed. For the gold shop employees who fled to the back room as the hammers came down, the 30-second ordeal will linger long in memory. For the two young men from China, a holiday that ran out of money has now run out of freedom.

-Thailand News (TN)