Two Russian tourists killed in Thai beach town

BANGKOK, Feb 24 (Reuters) Two female Russian tourists were shot dead and left on lounge chairs on a beach in Thailand's eastern resort town of Pattaya, police said today.

The bodies of the women, aged 25 and 30, were found at dawn on Pattaya's Jomtien Beach, a popular destination for foreign tourists located 150 km from the capital Bangkok.

The younger woman was shot twice in the stomach and once in a leg. The other victim was shot once in the back.

''We have no idea what was the motive for the shooting,'' Pattaya Police Major Srettha Maklon told Reuters, although he said their mobile phones and wallets had not been taken.

Pattaya is best known for its vibrant nightlife and sex trade since the days of the Vietnam War when US soldiers sought ''rest and recreation''. It is also a haven for international organised crime.

REUTERS MS PM1428