QR Code Payment Mix-Up Lands Russian Tourists in Legal Trouble in Thailand

Two Russian women are facing potential prison time in Thailand after a routine purchase at a jewelry store in the popular resort city of Pattaya went wrong. According to local reports, the incident stemmed from a failed QR code payment, leaving the shopkeepers to suspect fraud.

The women bought jewelry—one spent about 1,000 rubles, the other around 23,000 rubles. They scanned the store’s QR code, saw a confirmation message on their banking app, and left. But the money never reached the shop’s account. The sellers called the police, accusing the tourists of theft.

The problem, as reported by Russian media, appears to be a glitch in the payment system that sometimes freezes transactions. Now, the women are under threat of arrest for theft, a serious charge that could lead to imprisonment. Legal experts suggest hiring a lawyer may be the only way to resolve the mess, though that will come at a steep cost.

This isn’t the first time tourists have run into legal trouble in Thailand recently. Earlier, a Chinese traveler kicked a turnstile at Bangkok’s airport, earning a lifetime ban from the country. He was charged with damaging state property worth about 480,000 baht (over 1 million rubles), insulting staff, and illegally passing through a security checkpoint.

For now, the Russian women are hoping for a quick resolution before their vacation turns into a nightmare.