Chinese Man Lured to Thailand After 2 Million Yuan Scam

Chinese Man Lured to Thailand After 2 Million Yuan Scam

BANGKOK, 2 July 2026 — A Chinese man who lost around 2 million yuan to a call centre scam has been rescued by Thai police after being found at a hotel in Bangkok, following a cross-border search involving authorities from Thailand and China.

Officers from Pathum Wan Police Station located Ma Mingze, 25, at the Twin Towers Hotel in Bangkok’s Pathum Wan district during an operation on June 29. The search was launched after Chinese authorities in Thailand relayed a request from police in China seeking assistance in tracing the missing man.

Police said officers from Pathum Wan Police Station worked alongside Tourist Police, Immigration Police, detectives and patrol units before locating Ma at about 3 a.m. He was found safe at the hotel.

During questioning, Ma told investigators he had been deceived by fraudsters posing as Chinese police officers, who falsely accused him of involvement in criminal offences and threatened legal action unless he transferred money to clear the case.

He said he made four transfers while in Malaysia, paying the scammers a total of about 2 million yuan. The suspects then instructed him to travel to Thailand, claiming they would arrange his return to China, before directing him to ask his parents for additional money to secure his release.

Police seized two mobile phones belonging to Ma for forensic examination as part of the investigation. Officers also contacted his father, who arrived in Bangkok on June 29 to take his son home.

Daily News reported that Pathum Wan Police Station will continue examining digital evidence and coordinating with relevant authorities as the investigation proceeds.