A Thai woman reportedly faked a robbery to cover up losing her engagement ring bought for her by a British fiance.

Ratana, 37, allegedly lied to police, claiming that she was mugged by a gang of knife-wielding thugs while riding home in Sin City Pattaya on May 24 evening.

She lodged a report claiming that three cannabis-addled youths attacked her near the Soi Siam Country Club, snatching 32,000 baht (730 GBP) in cash and her engagement ring.

But the plan backfired when the story unravelled and her long-distance lover from Manchester dumped her.

The single mother admitted fabricating the story after police investigations checked CCTV and found that no such incident had happened. She said she made up the story, terrified that her boyfriend would be furious at her for losing the expensive piece of jewellery.

Police Colonel Sarawut Nuchnarat, superintendent of the Bang Lamung Police Station, said: 'The investigation team reviewed the CCTV footage from the area but found no unusual activity during the time of the alleged incident. The cameras only capture the arrival of the victim, the police, and reporters.

'We were confused, so we called Ms Ratana several times, but she did not pick up her phone. We summoned her to the police station for questioning.'

Ratana, a department store worker, appeared before police 'visibly distressed and in tears'.

In an hour-long interrogation, she reportedly confessed to concocting the tale to deceive her British boyfriend after misplacing the cash and her engagement ring.

She said: 'I didn't know how to tell him because I was afraid he would be angry at me. I hoped an official police report would help me win his sympathy, but I didn't expect the situation to escalate like this. Reporters picked up the story, and it became sensational news.

'I deeply regret what I did, and I am sorry for recklessly causing trouble for the police. In the end, my actions were futile because my boyfriend left me.'

Police said Ratana now faces charges of filing a false report.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Kornphong Sukwisit, Bang Lamung Police deputy chief of investigation, added: 'The case has caused unnecessary trouble to both police and the local community. We would like to remind the public that making false reports is a serious offense. Please think twice before trying to mislead authorities.'

(1 GBP = 43.94 THB)