Wheelchair-bound British tourist allegedly robbed by three companions in Pattaya hotel room

A 60-year-old wheelchair-bound British tourist, identified as Chris John Glennon from Northampton, England, suffered a robbery incident by three individuals he invited to his hotel room at the Basaya Beach Hotel & Resort in Pattaya.

On June 24, 2025, Glennon—who relies on a wheelchair and has a speech disability—met three companions (two Thai women and one transgender woman) near Pattaya Beach. He took them back to his hotel room after booking his own stay online. While he was in the shower, the three allegedly fled the room, escaping with around 6,000 baht (approximately £140) and an additional £150 GBP he had intended to use to pay them.

After discovering the theft, Glennon—a frequent guest at the hotel—proceeded, shirtless, in his wheelchair to the reception desk. He used his phone’s translation app to communicate the incident to hotel staff, who then contacted the police.

Hotel personnel confirmed Glennon was a long-term guest with no prior issues. They cooperated with authorities and compiled CCTV footage as evidence. Pattaya City Police promptly recorded his complaint at 12:16 a.m. the following day and initiated an investigation. Investigators have secured hotel CCTV footage and identified two of the suspects via the ID cards they handed in at check-in. One suspect remains unaccounted for. Authorities are pursuing leads to locate all three suspects and press charges under Thai law.

This incident echoes earlier reports of vulnerable tourists, often wheelchair users, falling victim to theft after inviting acquaintances into their rooms. In May 2025, an Australian man in a wheelchair lost approximately 11,400 baht (about USD 350) under similar circumstances after inviting a woman he had met on Pattaya Beach to his hotel room.

Pattaya is known for its bustling nightlife and red-light district, which occasionally sees scams and theft incidents involving sex workers targeting foreign tourists.

The victim, already living with a disability, faced not only financial loss but also emotional distress. His swift action—wheeling himself to report the crime, emphasizes both his resilience and the vulnerability faced by some tourists. At least two suspects have been identified; the investigation remains active as police seek additional evidence and testimony.

A tragic turn of events interrupted an otherwise routine visit for Chris Glennon, underscoring how tourists—especially those with disabilities—can be targeted in unfamiliar environments. Authorities are now working to hold accountable the individuals involved, as this incident adds to a pattern of hotel-room thefts in Pattaya involving vulnerable guests and opportunistic criminals.

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