<B>CHON BURI:</B> Two Russian women were arrested on Thursday for assaulting a mini-mart employee and destroying several items in a rage, police said.
Irina Lyubaykina, 35, and Elena Klepechina, 27, are accused of assaulting Sureeporn Chutinawee, a manager at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Pattaya's Bang Lamung district after an argument over a transaction.
According to the manager who was working at the cashier desk at the time, the two women bought items worth a total of 219 baht. They paid her with two 100 baht notes and one 20 baht note.
Ms Sureeporn said she gave them a one baht coin as change. The two women became angry, claiming they gave her a one thousand baht note.
After a heated argument, Ms Irina threw a soda bottle at the manager and both women then assaulted her.
She said bystanders tried to stop the women, after which they angrily threw several shelved items on the floor.
Police said the damage to the store was estimated at 2,500 baht.
Both suspects denied all charges and refused to answer any questions, Pattaya police said, but there were enough witnesses and evidence to charge the Russian nationals with assault and destruction of property.