An Australian man has allegedly been stabbed and robbed of thousands of dollars after inviting two teenage girls back to his hotel room in Thailand. Police said the man, identified by the Bangkok Post as Alikosh Ghulam, had taken the pair of 'new friends' to his room before the encounter allegedly turned violent.
Incident Details
The 45-year-old was allegedly stabbed in the shoulder with a pair of scissors before the alleged offenders fled with $6,000 in cash on Monday. Police reported that Mr Ghulam believed the two individuals he met were women and extended an invitation to his hotel room. An argument allegedly broke out when he realized the pair were transgender.
One of the teenagers allegedly pushed Mr Ghulam into a bathroom and stabbed him with scissors, leaving him bloodied and in shock. The offenders then allegedly escaped with the cash. Mr Ghulam later sought medical treatment and reported the attack to police.
Arrests and Charges
Investigators reviewed CCTV footage and tracked the pair to a luxury condo in Pattaya, about 150 km from Bangkok in eastern Thailand. Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were arrested. Both allegedly admitted their involvement and were charged with armed robbery. Police said officers seized scissors and cash from the condo.
Authorities told local media that similar incidents are damaging Pattaya's reputation. They noted that such cases are difficult to prevent because the alleged crimes usually occur inside private hotel rooms.
Travel Context
Up to 780,000 Australians travelled to Thailand in 2025, marking a 9% rise from the previous year. Thailand is Australia's sixth most popular overseas destination, behind Japan, New Zealand, the United States, China, and Indonesia.
This incident follows a separate case where three men were charged after allegedly trying to smuggle 14 kg of heroin from Thailand into Sydney. The men, who had flown from Thailand, allegedly attempted to escape officers, running through international arrivals and out of the terminal on April 23. They were arrested and charged with importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
