A Swiss businessman's Thai wife was arrested along with seven others for allegedly looting an abandoned luxury hotel on a Thai island to sell the fittings and fixtures abroad.

Pat Natcha, 31, and the other suspects were accused of behaving like 'flies cleaning meat to the bone' by stealing goods from the five-star facility in Koh Samui, Thailand.

Shocked locals noticed that the hotel was being slowly pilfered and called police earlier this month to check on the property.

The owners were then horrified to see that valuable lights, doors, carpets, curtains and other furnishings had gone with damage amounting to 70 million baht (1.64 million GBP). The wiring, pipes, boilers, heaters, air con units, electrical transformers and even a lift had been stripped.

Officers arrested Pat along with cohorts Omchaisak, 50, Kwanchai Not, 40, Apipat Oat, 33, Krishna Nut, 33, all Thais, as well as Burmese nationals Thuya Soe, 23, and Min Phyo Aung, 20. Another Thai businesswoman Pakjira, 42, was also arrested for purchasing goods obtained from theft.

Colonel Yuttana Sirisombat said: ‘From the investigation, it was found that the accused had stolen from the entire hotel with 348 rooms. They cut off the CCTV cables and stole everything that could be sold.'

‘This includes a large electrical transformer outside the hotel, electric cables, light bulbs, electrical outlets, tables, chairs, beds, water heaters, toilet seats, showers, curtains, and steel. They also took away the railings, roof frames, glass door, glass door frames, windows, air-conditioners, pool water pumps, and a famous German-branded elevator.

‘Every room was destroyed to take away the property. The wires were piled on the floor, the ceiling was destroyed and broken glass was also found scattered. We found gas cutters, air cylinders, gas tanks, tools, and food. We found empty bottles left at the scene, believed to have been consumed by the accused at the scene.'

Horrified owners Waree Chokkanapithak and Yomana Poolsawat arrived at an empty hotel and contacted the police after seeing that their property had been ravaged by the alleged thieves.

Hotel owner Yomana Poolsawat said: ‘We believe they have been stealing during the past three months. We spent 400 million Baht on the hotel and it was ready for tourists but after the looting, it is obviously not ready to be opened.

‘The first phase of construction and room decoration we used to come to see the hotel. But after its completion, we locked everything. I didn't think that this kind of event would happen. Total damages from the incident are more than 70 million THB. This is Koh Samui's most outrageous crime.

‘Therefore, I would like the authorities to prosecute decisively. This will impact the reputation of tourism. I do not have enough capital to repair the hotel and would have to pass it on to other investors who are willing to bear the costs to continue the hotel's operation.'

Officers seized a six-wheeler truck that the group allegedly used to haul their loot off the hotel and a set of gas tanks which they used to cut steel.

So far, a total of 381 pieces of stolen items worth approximately 659,000 THB (15,500 GBP) have already been traced back while 1,001 valuable items worth 2,557,500 THB (60,227 GBP) have remained intact at the hotel.

Officer Yuttana added: ‘I would like to leave a message to businessmen and investors affected by the pandemic of Covid-19. Please contact the police or coordinate with the Koh Samui Tourism Promotion Association and inform them that the service has temporarily stopped, so police can inspect and find measures to take care of the assets.

‘We will protect your property and ensure such incidents do not repeat. We will also be checking different shops on the island to trace and return the stolen items.'