A Swedish tourist robbed by a Pattaya lady of the night has become the first benefactor of a Thai charity set up to provide assistance to stranded tourists and foreign victims of crime. The 68 year old Swedish tourist Mr. Cherif Hafsaoui aged 68 arrived in Thailand on the 21st of November and was due to return to his home in Sweden later this month.
He had booked into the Eastiny Place Hotel on Soi 8 and returned to his room accompanied by a lady who he had just met and had not as yet been able to ascertain her name. When he awoke next morning she had left along with 30,000 Baht in cash and his credit cards.
Mr. Hafsaoui had turned up at Pattaya Police Station in a disheveled and confused and desperate state. He had no money to pay for accommodation or even for food. Khun Suppatee, the acting superintendent of Pattaya Police Station went out of his way to help the distraught visitor. He was provided with food and shelter at the police station whilst a Bangkok based charity was contacted. The Tourist Assistance Foundation liaised with the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok and after his bone fides were checked out a representative of the foundation Khun Kwanchanok arrived at the police station with a donation of 10,000 Baht to help him pay for his hotel bill and food until he can make the trip back to the airport for his return flight home to Sweden.
Mr. Hafsaoui was overwhelmed by the help that he had received from the Pattaya Police and from The Tourist Assistance Foundation and promised to tell his family and friends of the generosity of the Thai people.
