A teenage nephew of Koh Samui Mayor Ramnet Jaikwang and two others were arrested recently for snatching a shoulder bag from a  Chinese female tourist.

The mayor’s 17-year-old nephew and his companions -- 18-year-old boy Veerayut Chauykhongma and a 16-year-old girl -- were arrested by a team of policemen and civilian volunteers in a wooded side of the island where they had gone to hide.

The team was sent to hunt them after the victim reported the snatching to the police.

The bag contained cash and credit cards.

Seal Mai Ma, a 24-year-old tourist from China, told police that her bag was snatched while she was walking along the Lamai beach road in Moo 3, Maret subdistrict.

The snatchers, she said, rode a green-black Honda Click motorbike and sped toward the Koh Samui radio station.

Police then put up roadblocks around the area to prevent the suspects from escaping.

The three were later found holed up in the woods.

A brown bag with US$200 in cash, Visa and Master cards, a  mobile phone and toy gun were recovered from them.

The three teenagers readily admitted to the crime.

Veerayut also told police that he was a relative of the village chief of Moo 5, Bophut subdistrict.

The teenagers also confessed they had robbed a number of tourists before.

The victim identified the three as the people who took her shoulder bag.

She said she was disappointed that very young people like them would be involved in robbing tourists.

Told  about the arrest of his nephew, Mayor Ramnet commended the police for performing their duty.

“There is no protection for anyone if he is guilty. Anyone committing a crime must be penalized,” Ramnet said.

He also directed the police to rid the city of snatchers and other criminals which, he said, were destroying the image of the island as a peaceful tourist destination.