19-Year-Old Thai Student Loses 2.5 Million Baht to Call-Centre Scam Before Bank Steps In
19-Year-Old Thai Student Loses 2.5 Million Baht to Call-Centre Scam Before Bank Steps In
BANGKOK, Oct. 5, 2026 — Thai police have arrested a Thai man and a Macau Chinese national accused of operating as cash collectors for a call-centre scam gang that allegedly tricked a 19-year-old university student into handing over 2.5 million baht.
The suspects were identified as 25-year-old Kachaphong and 40-year-old Chan Lok Loi. Police said the arrests followed a report from the Government Savings Bank about suspicious transactions involving the student on October 3.
Student Handed Over 1.2 Million Baht
The student, identified as Thanadon, initially visited a Government Savings Bank branch at a shopping mall in Thanyaburi district, Pathum Thani, saying he wanted to withdraw 1.2 million baht from his Government Savings Bank lottery proceeds after the ticket had gone missing.
He presented a police report concerning the loss along with other required documents. The bank accepted the documents and paid him the 1.2 million baht in cash.
Thanadon was later seen handing the money to an alleged member of the call-centre scam gang in the shopping mall’s car park.
The student returned to the bank later that day and attempted to withdraw another 1.3 million baht from his savings account.
Bank employees became suspicious when they noticed that Thanadon remained on a video call with another person and appeared anxious while carrying out the transaction.
Suspecting that he was being deceived or threatened, bank staff contacted police. Officers intervened and stopped the second withdrawal, preventing another 1.3 million baht from being handed over.
Police Set Trap for Suspected Cash Collectors
Police then arranged an operation to identify and arrest the person who had collected the first payment.
Kachaphong was arrested at a car park, with the 1.2 million baht in cash seized from him.
During questioning, police said Kachaphong admitted that his role was to collect cash from victims and deliver it to a Chinese national in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok.
Investigators subsequently arranged for Kachaphong to deliver the money at an agreed meeting point. Officers arrested Chan Lok Loi when he arrived to receive the cash.
Chan reportedly told police that his role was to receive the money before passing it on to another person who had allegedly ordered the collection.
Police later searched Chan’s accommodation in Huai Khwang but found no additional illegal items.
Scammers Posed as Police Officers
According to police, Thanadon was initially contacted by scammers posing as employees of AIS.
They allegedly told him that his name had been used to register a telephone number connected to criminal activity.
The scammers then instructed him to add them on LINE and join a video call. They allegedly impersonated officers from Mueang Phichit Police Station, using a background resembling a police station to make the student believe he was communicating with genuine police officers.
The suspects allegedly persuaded Thanadon to disclose information about his assets before instructing him to withdraw and hand over money.
Police said both Kachaphong and Chan were charged with fraud against the public by impersonating another person.
The offence carries a potential sentence of six months to seven years in prison and a fine of 10,000 to 140,000 baht, according to police.
