The couple booked a ‘full course’ massage and, after pretending to pay online, fled on a motorbike, leaving the staff with nothing.

In Pattaya, a popular tourist city in Thailand, a scandal is gaining momentum over the alleged evasion of payment for massage parlor services by a Russian couple. An employee of Smooth Day Thai Massage, located in the Nong Prue district of Chonburi province, filed a report with the police. The incident occurred on 6 June 2025.

According to the statement by 48-year-old Anamani Tantim, a Russian couple — a man and a woman aged 30–40 — visited the salon and ordered a traditional Thai massage as part of the ‘full course’ program. After the session was over, when the staff announced the cost, the customers, according to Anamani, refused to pay, citing a dispute over the prices for different types of massage.

The salon’s management offered a compromise, calculating the cost at the base rate of 350 baht per person per hour to avoid escalating the conflict. The couple agreed to pay for the services by bank transfer and even showed the salon staff what they claimed to be confirmation of the transaction. However, a check of the account showed that the money had not been received.

After that, the couple, without waiting for confirmation of payment, hurriedly left the establishment on a black automatic motorcycle, ignoring the staff’s requests to stay. The incident was recorded by CCTV cameras, and footage of the Russians leaving the salon was handed over to the police.

The CCTV footage was also posted on social media and sent to local news outlets as a warning to other business owners. Anamani Tantim emphasized that such incidents, especially during an economic downturn and low tourist season, cause significant damage to small businesses.

Pattaya police have launched an investigation into the incident. The incident has caused widespread concern in the local community and highlights the importance of vigilance for business owners working with tourists, especially in an unstable economic situation. This case serves as a reminder of the need to double-check payments and exercise caution.

Although most tourists are law-abiding, incidents of this kind do occur from time to time and can cause damage to businesses, especially during periods of economic instability. The police are investigating and hope to identify the suspects and bring them to justice.

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