An Indian tourist was robbed by motorcycle-riding snatchers in Thailand.

Merlin Dhanapalan was on a late-night joyride with his friend in the Thai 'Sin City' Pattaya when they were mugged by the suspects in the early hours of December 12.

CCTV footage shows the brazen theft as the snatchers, who wearing balaclava masks, stopped next to Merlin's motorcycle and yanked the gold necklace worth 210,000 THB (4,900 GBP) from his neck.

A brief fight ensued as the Indian tourist tried to fend off the attackers. He was punched in the face as one suspect fled on foot and the other drove away on a motorcycle.

Police Lieutenant Akkraphong Saenputawong of the Pattaya City Police Station said the robbery was reported at 12:36 am.

He said: 'We have inspected the scene, questioned the victim, and reviewed CCTV footage as evidence. Investigators are gathering more evidence to track down the perpetrators for further legal action.'

Pattaya is a popular destination for tourists, despite being a notorious enclave of criminal activity.

The former fishing village became popular with American troops on 'rest and relaxation' breaks in the 1960s when the U.S. military had bases in Thailand. In the ensuing years, the coastal resort spawned into a semi-barbarous sex-tourism hellscape.

Embarrassed officials have made progress in gentrifying the region with family tourism projects but a ravenous nightlife industry and corrupt police have hampered their efforts, with undesirables from all nations still attracted to the seedy city.

(1 GBP = 43.15 THB)