Police rescue three Indian tourists 'held hostage in fake tour scam'

Police rescued three Indian tourists allegedly held hostage by fake tour scammers in Thailand.

Officers on Sunday raided a townhouse in resort city Pattaya following reports from relatives in India that the men had gone missing.

They stormed the two-storey building and found the alleged victims, aged 23, 24, and 26, bound with zip ties with tape over their mouths.

The tourists were bruised from alleged torture as their captors reportedly hung them upside down and beat them sticks. They were allegedly forced to call their families to demand a combined ransom of seven million rupees for their release.

The men told police they had each paid around 70,000 baht for a seven-day tour package to Thailand.

They arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport near Bangkok on July 21 before taking a taxi to Pattaya, where they were allegedly collected one by one by an Indian motorcycle rider.

However, upon arriving at the townhouse, they were allegedly attacked and held hostage.

The tourists claimed they were held for more than five days without food, water or access to a toilet, and were beaten daily. After being rescued, they immediately contacted their families to tell them they were safe.

Police said the gang is believed to consist of four Pakistani nationals and one Indian national, who had been using a number registered in Dubai to call the Indian relatives.

Police Colonel Naphatphong Khositsuriyamanee, Superintendent of the Chonburi Immigration Police, said they fled on motorcycles moments before officers stormed the property.

He added: 'It is believed that this crime is a new form of scamming by a gang that sells cheap tour packages to Thailand.

'Once the victims fall for the trick and buy the tour, they abduct them, demand ransom, and then contact relatives in their home country to extort money. Police are currently investigating to track down the perpetrators and bring them to justice.'

Tourists are regularly attacked or caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed 'Sin City'.

Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.

Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV.

Despite some success in cleaning up the town's image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.