Police Arrest 71-Year-Old Woman In Land Scam Gambling Racket
A 71-year-old woman was arrested in Phuket for allegedly leading a fraud gang that scammed a land seller out of over 1 million baht through a rigged gambling game in Songkhla province.
Police arrested Tiwalay (surname withheld), known as "Sor," age 71, on July 16, 2025, under arrest warrant no. 282/2569 from Songkhla Provincial Court, issued April 30, 2025, on charges of fraud and theft conspiracy. She was apprehended at the parking area outside the Phuket Provincial Court in Muang District, Phuket.
Investigators found that after learning a victim had advertised land in Songkhla province valued at approximately 3 million baht for sale, the gang coordinated an elaborate scam. The scheme began when gang members including a man nicknamed "Dom" and the suspect befriended the victim, claiming interest in buying the property. They then introduced the victim to two accomplices posing as wealthy individuals, including a woman called "Hong" who claimed to be a successful businesswoman with large amounts of cash and a passion for gambling.
The suspect's associates then invited the victim to play a pumpkin-seed gambling game, teaching techniques to build confidence. Initially, the gang deliberately allowed the victim to win several rounds. In the sixth round, with higher stakes, one gang member secretly removed a seed to manipulate the outcome in "Hong's" favor. The scammers then accused the victim of losing the seed and demanded full compensation of the bet, resulting in a loss exceeding 1 million baht. Once the victim realized the deception, they filed a report with Had Yai Police, leading the court to issue arrest warrants for all gang members.
Investigators learned that Tiwalay was traveling to Phuket Provincial Court, allowing officers to stake out and arrest her. The suspect initially denied all charges, and she was transferred to Had Yai Police for further legal proceedings.
