Police Bust Pattaya Scam Ring, Arrest 10 Foreigners in 300 Million Baht Fraud
Immigration police in Pattaya arrested 10 foreign nationals — eight Chinese and two Myanmar citizens — for running a hybrid romance-investment scam from a luxury rental house. The gang targeted over 100 Chinese victims via social media, building fake relationships before steering them into bogus stock investments, with estimated losses exceeding 300 million baht. Several suspects are wanted in China, and all entered Thailand illegally.
Immigration police raided a scam operation in central Pattaya, arresting 10 foreigners who rented a luxury house in Nong Prue for 140,000 baht a month. The suspects used romance scams to lure victims into fake investments, causing losses exceeding 300 million baht for over 100 victims.
On November 9, 2026, Pol. Maj. Gen. Noppasil Poolsawat, chief of Immigration Bureau 3, along with Pol. Col. Thanit Thaiwacharamas, deputy chief of Immigration Bureau 3, and Pol. Col. Sarawut Khonyai, superintendent of Immigration Division 3, led a team of investigators from Immigration Bureau 3, Chonburi Immigration, and Nong Prue police. They executed a Chonburi Provincial Court search warrant at a luxury residence in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi province, after learning it served as a base for an international online fraud gang.
The search yielded 10 foreign nationals: eight Chinese and two Myanmar citizens. Authorities also seized two laptop computers, 32 mobile phones, and more than 178 SIM cards, which will be examined for data and communication trails with victims.
Investigation revealed all eight Chinese nationals had entered Thailand illegally — seven via the Thai-Cambodia border in Sa Kaeo province and one via the Thai-Laos border at the Chong Mek checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani province.
Notably, four of the Chinese suspects are wanted in China: Mr. Yang Wang for fraud, Mr. Chao Fang for assault, and Mr. Zuo Guifu and Mr. Xu Ningxun for involvement in call-center scams. Officials are coordinating with Chinese authorities to verify the warrants.
The two Myanmar nationals are Min Khing, who entered illegally, and Nang Thazin Aye, who overstayed her visa by 357 days.
The operation employed a "hybrid scam" model, blending romance scams with investment fraud. The gang divided into three groups: the first recruited Chinese victims via the Douyin or Chinese TikTok apps and passed them to the second group, which built trust over 15–30 days to establish a seemingly genuine relationship. Once trust was gained, victims were coaxed into downloading an app and investing in fake Chinese pharmaceutical stocks, then transferring money to bank accounts in China. A third group based in China withdrew the funds.
The gang had rented the luxury house in Nong Prue for about six months as its operational base. On the morning of November 9, investigators found evidence of about 2 million baht in fresh losses, while preliminary questioning suggests cumulative damages may reach 300 million baht, though this figure is still being verified.
Authorities are now gathering digital evidence from the seized electronics, verifying identities and warrants with both Thai and Chinese agencies, and expanding the investigation to trace accomplices — particularly those handling money reception and withdrawal overseas — to bring all involved to justice.
