Pattaya Provincial Court, Chonburi Province
The case moves from the forest to the courtroom
By Genext Information Systems Staff
Published 1 October 2026 • 6 min read
The latest Pattaya news is the news Chonburi has been waiting two months to hear. On Wednesday, 30 September 2026, prosecutors filed formal charges at Pattaya Provincial Court against two men accused of killing two young Russian siblings and, in a separate case, a Thai family of three. Both defendants remain in custody. Neither was granted bail.
This Thailand news update explains who is accused, what the nine charges say, how the investigation unfolded and what visitors and residents in Pattaya, Thailand can take from a case that shocked the region. Every allegation below is exactly that: an allegation, to be tested at trial.
Nine charges against two men
The two defendants are Thana Kerdthong, 43, described in reports as the ringleader, and Thongchai Srinil, 39. According to coverage by The Thaiger and The Pattaya News, the indictment was lodged under case number 1038/2569 and lists nine offences.
They include possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition, carrying weapons in public, impersonating public officials, unlawful detention, aggravated robbery resulting in death, premeditated murder, rape involving a firearm resulting in death and concealing bodies to hide the cause of death.
The court refused bail, so both men stay in jail while the case proceeds. Reports say pleas are expected in the coming weeks. Two further suspects, named as Chatchanan Paen-aiam and Atsadang Chuwong, have also been reported arrested, though the indictment covered only the first two men.
Key facts
- Court — Pattaya Provincial Court
- Indicted — 30 September 2026
- Defendants — Thana Kerdthong, 43; Thongchai Srinil, 39
- Charges — nine, including murder and robbery causing death
- Russian victims — Diana Nazimova, 22; Roman Nazimov, 17
- Bail — refused
From a 4 a.m. motorbike ride to a shallow grave
Diana Nazimova and her younger brother Roman left home at about four in the morning on 26 July 2026, riding a motorcycle. They never returned. Police say the pair were stopped by men posing as officials, held at gunpoint and robbed of the bike. Their bodies were found days later in a shallow grave in the Huai Yai area of Bang Lamung district.
A second discovery followed close by. In a coconut plantation, investigators recovered the remains of a Thai family of three, named in reports as Wichian Nawongsa, his wife and their teenage daughter, who had been missing since late June. Prosecutors treat the two cases separately, but the same suspects are linked to both.
Thana and Thongchai were arrested on 31 July while hiding in Wang Sombun district, Sa Kaeo province, roughly 200 kilometres east of Pattaya. Our original report, Missing Russian Siblings Found Murdered, tracks the first week of the search.
Why the impersonation charge matters in Thailand
For anyone following Pattaya news, impersonating an official is one of the nine counts, and it is the one that should interest every visitor. Police allege the attackers used the authority of a uniform or badge to stop a motorbike on an early-morning road. That tactic works because Thai police checkpoints are real, common and rarely questioned.
Tourists and expats living in Thailand should know the basics. Genuine officers carry identification, work from marked vehicles or recognised checkpoints, and can be checked by calling 191 or the Tourist Police on 1155, which offers English-language help. If a stop feels wrong, stay in a public place and call.
The case also reopens the debate over late-night motorbike travel. For anyone planning budget travel in Thailand, renting a scooter is cheap, but riding alone on quiet back roads before dawn carries risks beyond traffic.
What the court has decided so far
Reports say the state awarded 300,000 baht to each victim family, 1.5 million baht in total, under Thailand’s crime victim compensation scheme. That payment is separate from the criminal trial and does not decide guilt.
In Pattaya news terms, cases of this gravity are normally classed as “black cases”, meaning the defendants are known and the court proceeds through witness hearings. Expect a long calendar of testimony, forensic evidence and possible requests for translation support for Russian-speaking relatives.
The Nazimov family’s plight has also drawn attention in Russia, where media have followed each court step, underlining how a single crime in Chonburi can become an international story within hours.
Is Pattaya safe for visitors after the Huai Yai case?
The honest answer is that this is an exceptional crime, not a daily risk. Millions of people visit Pattaya every year for the beach, Walking Street, Jomtien and boat trips to the Thailand islands. Any Thailand travel guide will say the same: stay alert, avoid isolated roads at night and keep your embassy and insurance details to hand.
Pattaya news this grim can obscure the fact that plenty of things to do in Pattaya carry no risk at all, from the Sanctuary of Truth to Koh Larn day trips, and the same is true of the things to do in Bangkok if you combine both cities. Thai food stalls, Bangkok food streets and Thai festivals remain the best way to spend an evening. The best time to visit Thailand is still the cooler season from November to February.
If you plan a long stay, check which Thailand visa suits you, and read our recent report on a knife attack over 8,000 baht for a sense of how local disputes can escalate.
Pleas, witnesses and a long trial
The next step is the defendants’ plea. If they contest the charges, the court will schedule witness hearings, where police, forensic experts and relatives are likely to testify. Murder with robbery causing death can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment under Thai law, though sentences are decided by the court after trial.
For the families, the indictment is a milestone rather than an ending. For Pattaya news readers, it is a reminder that living in Thailand means trusting a justice system that moves slowly but, in this case, reached a courtroom within two months. ThaiThuk will update this Thailand news report as hearings are announced.
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Written by
Genext Information Systems Staff
ThaiThuk’s editorial team at Genext Information Systems — writers and long-term residents based in Thailand who report from the ground on Thai culture, travel, food and community. Every piece is checked against primary sources and updated as details change. More about ThaiThuk →
Sources
- The Thaiger — “Pattaya prosecutors indict 2 in Russian siblings murder case”, 30 September 2026, for the indictment date, charges and bail status.
- The Pattaya News — “Pattaya Prosecutors Formally Charge Suspects of Nine Offenses”, 30 September 2026, for case details, victims’ names and compensation.
- Bangkok Post — headline on the indictment, 30 September 2026 (page not readable at time of writing).
Note on photographs: the images on this page are real photographs from ThaiThuk’s own library, used as file images. The first was taken during the July search at Huai Yai; the second shows Pattaya generally. ThaiThuk did not republish photographs from other outlets because it could not license them. No AI-generated imagery is used. Defendants are presumed innocent until a court rules. Tourist Police: 1155.