Indian tourist 'scammed by gang selling 15,000-baht hair-growth herbal product' in Thai 'Sin City' Pattaya

An Indian tourist allegedly fell victim to scammers who sold him an overpriced miracle hair-growth product in Thailand.

Amit Lalitkumar Soni, 37, was walking along Pattaya Second Road when he was approached by three foreign men in the early hours of August 27.

The men reportedly persuaded him to visit a shop before pressuring him into paying 15,000 baht for a magic herbal hair grower they claimed would make his hair thicker and darker.

But the Indian holidaymaker later feared he had been scammed when his friend questioned whether the product was genuine.

Realising he was conned, Soni went to Pattaya City Police Station to report the alleged scam.

Lieutenant Colonel Thanya Udthong said the incident is now under investigation.

The latest complaint comes after repeated reports of similar scams targeting foreign tourists in the resort city, as well as the capital Bangkok.

In November 2025, Indian tourist Nadir Altaf, 52, believed he was paying 4,000 baht for five bottles of herbal hair oil, only to discover his credit card had been charged around 140,000 baht instead.

While Turkish tourist Yilmaz Yuzbasi, 57, was also allegedly charged 21,961 baht for two bottles of a hair-regrowth product he later said was ineffective and grossly overpriced.

In June, a Bangladeshi tourist claimed he was persuaded to buy more than 10,000 baht worth of herbal remedies and eventually paid because he feared for his safety.

Thai police have been cracking down on the gangs, mostly believed to be Pakistani-operated, accused of targeting foreign tourists in Pattaya with bogus herbal cures.

Authorities say legal loopholes have made the operations difficult to prosecute despite numerous complaints from tourists.

In many previous cases, disputes reportedly ended with partial refunds negotiated between the parties rather than criminal prosecutions, allowing the businesses to continue operating.