Crafty Foreign National Steals iPhone 17 from Barista in Thonglor Using Clever Scheme
A Mongolian con artist duped a Thonglor barista into lending her iPhone 17 on April 18, then fled with the device and skipped a meal bill; he was previously arrested in 2024 but remains in Thailand on an expired visa.
At 12:30 p.m. on May 2, 2025, Ms. Parichat, 27, a barista, filed a complaint with the Facebook community page "Sai Haem Tong Rod" (Thai Silk Must Survive) seeking help after being duped by a foreign con artist who tricked her into lending her iPhone 17 and skipped out on a meal bill, causing tens of thousands of baht in damages. The "borrow then flee" tactic occurred in the Thonglor neighborhood.
Ms. Parichat recounted that the incident happened on April 18 at a restaurant in Thonglor. A light-skinned Asian male foreigner arrived at 12:20 p.m., ordered food normally like any other customer, and stayed until nearly 3:00 p.m. At 3:10 p.m., the man approached her at the counter claiming he had forgotten his phone and asked to borrow hers to call a friend. Trusting him since he appeared to be a regular who had been sitting in the shop for hours, she agreed.
The scammer pretended to make a call and returned the phone initially. Shortly after, another call came through, so he requested to borrow it again. This time, he wandered around the shop looking for an opportunity. When she wasn't paying attention, he bolted out the back door and disappeared with the iPhone 17, leaving behind an unpaid food bill of 1,463 baht.
After the incident, the victim filed a report at Thonglor Police Station with CCTV footage evidence. Investigators discovered the perpetrator is a Mongolian male approximately 40 years old with a criminal history including:
Previous theft cases: Multiple incidents across Bangkok Prior arrest: Apprehended by Immigration Police and Huai Khwang Police on June 9, 2024 Visa overstay: Records show he has been overstaying for more than 2 years, making him an illegal resident
Ms. Parichat expressed frustration, saying that when she searched online, she found news reports that he had been arrested in mid-2024. She questioned why he was released and able to commit the same crime again, and how Thai law could do nothing about someone with an expired 2-year-old visa.
Nirun Keakhaew, co-founder of the Sai Haem Tong Rod Facebook page, stated this is a serious social threat because the criminal shows no fear of Thai law. He announced they would contact the commander of Thonglor Police Station to expedite the investigation and arrest for quick prosecution.
Additionally, they will request the Immigration Bureau investigate why a person with an expired visa and pending charges remains in the country, calling for his deportation and blacklisting to prevent future harm to Thai citizens. The community has also warned the public and business owners not to trust strangers requesting to borrow valuable items, even if they appear to be regular customers.
