Thailand Royal Police have arrested two Thai nationals as part of an escalating manhunt for two missing Russian tourists whose abandoned motorcycle was discovered dismantled and buried in a forest clearing south of Pattaya, marking a grim turn in a case that has gripped the coastal resort community since the weekend in July 2026.
Why This Matters
• Timeline is critical: Diana Nazimova, 22, and her brother Roman Nazimov, 17, vanished at 4 AM on July 26, 2026 after leaving their housing estate on a motorcycle—more than 96 hours have now passed.
• Evidence suggests foul play: Parts of their Honda ADV150 were found buried in two separate locations near a suspect's relative's home; locals reported hearing gunshots on the night they disappeared.
• International cooperation activated: The Russian Embassy in Thailand is receiving daily updates from the Tourist Police Bureau as the search intensifies across Chon Buri province.
The Disappearance
Diana Nazimova and her younger brother Roman left their residence at Bristol Park Pattaya in tambon Huay Yai during the pre-dawn hours of Sunday riding a black Honda ADV150 motorcycle. Their mother, Sarina Nazimova, filed a missing persons report with Huay Yai Police Station two days later, on July 28, after all communication abruptly ceased.
CCTV cameras captured the siblings heading toward the Na Jomtien motorway where footage shows their motorcycle being followed by a second unidentified bike. The two vehicles were later seen together along a frontage road before reaching an intersection beneath the Ban Chak Ngaew motorway bridge—the last confirmed sighting before they vanished from surveillance networks entirely.
Before disappearing, Diana sent her mother a single-word message: "Urgent!" In earlier conversations, she had confided that she felt someone was "stalking" them and mentioned her iPhone had detected an unknown Bluetooth tracking device in their vicinity through the phone's built-in AirTag detection feature. Both siblings' mobile phones were switched off shortly after that final message.
The Evidence Trail
On Wednesday, July 29, investigators made a disturbing discovery. The dismantled components of the siblings' motorcycle were unearthed at two separate burial sites in tambon Huay Yai, located not far from the residence of an aunt of one of the primary suspects. Local residents told authorities they heard what sounded like gunfire near the burial location on the evening the Russians disappeared.
Thailand Provincial Police Region 2 deployed specialized K9 units—sniffer dogs named Yaya and Hunter from the Metropolitan Police Bureau—to comb through suspected areas on Thursday. The animals were given clothing samples belonging to Diana and Roman to establish scent profiles before searching ponds, abandoned structures, and forested zones in both tambon Na Jomtien (Sattahip district) and tambon Huay Yai (Bang Lamung district) of Chon Buri province.
Digital forensics revealed that mobile phone signals from one suspect's device disappeared in the same location and at approximately the same time as the siblings' last known phone activity, according to investigators familiar with the case.
The Suspects and Arrests
Arrest warrants have been issued for two Thai men identified as the primary suspects: Thana Kerdthong, 43, an ex-convict released from prison less than two months before the incident, and Thongchai Srinil, 39. Both face charges of jointly committing theft at night using a vehicle and receiving stolen property under Thailand's Criminal Code.
On Thursday, July 30, authorities arrested two additional men known by the aliases "Suea Hoi" and "Phang" on suspicion of aiding the primary suspects in evading capture and concealing evidence—specifically helping to bury the motorcycle parts. Both men have denied any involvement in the alleged crimes.
Witnesses reported seeing one of the suspects digging in the forested area where the motorcycle was subsequently discovered. When police approached the site during the initial investigation, the individuals allegedly fled on foot into surrounding vegetation.
Thana's 74-year-old aunt has made a public appeal urging her nephew to surrender to authorities. Chon Buri Provincial Police have stated they are not ruling out any possibilities as the investigation continues, though they have not yet disclosed a suspected motive.
What This Means for Residents
The case has raised immediate safety concerns for both the foreign resident community and tourists in the Pattaya region, particularly those living in outlying residential estates like Bristol Park. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in less-traveled areas between Pattaya and neighboring districts where surveillance coverage remains patchy.
For residents in outlying Pattaya areas, consider these practical safety measures:
• Vary your routes and travel times when commuting through less-populated areas, particularly between Huay Yai and Na Jomtien tambon
• Enable location sharing with trusted family members or friends
• Check your smartphone regularly for tracking devices—iPhone users can run AirTag detection in Settings > Privacy > Location Services; Android users should review connected Bluetooth devices in Settings
• Report suspicious activity to Tourist Police hotline 1155 (English-speaking operators available) or the nearest police station immediately
If you have information about this case or have witnessed suspicious activity in the Huay Yai or Na Jomtien areas, contact:
• Tourist Police Bureau: 1155 (24-hour hotline)
• Huay Yai Police Station: +66-38-372-0541
• Chon Buri Provincial Police: +66-38-310-591
The swift international coordination between Thailand's Tourist Police Bureau and the Russian Embassy demonstrates the country's established protocols for handling cases involving foreign nationals—a critical reassurance for the approximately 14 million international visitors Thailand receives annually and long-term residents throughout the Pattaya-Chon Buri region.
The Search Continues
Despite deploying significant resources including canine units, forensic teams, and provincial-level coordination across multiple jurisdictions, authorities have not yet located Diana or Roman Nazimov. The investigation remains active, with forensic analysis of mobile phone records, CCTV footage enhancement, and ongoing witness interviews throughout the tambon Huay Yai and Na Jomtien areas as the critical next steps in the case.
Thailand's adherence to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, which the country ratified in May 2024, obligates authorities to conduct prompt and impartial investigations. The convention requires that those responsible for disappearances be brought to justice—a framework that applies directly to cases like this involving potential criminal abduction.
The Provincial Police Region 2 command has committed additional investigative resources to the case, coordinating between Huay Yai Police Station, Sattahip district authorities, and specialized units from Bangkok. Daily briefings are being provided to Russian diplomatic officials as authorities work to locate the missing siblings and build their case against those suspected of involvement.
