Two Arrested After Thai Student Is Tricked Into Withdrawing 2.5 Million Baht in Call-Centre Scam
Two Arrested After Thai Student Is Tricked Into Withdrawing 2.5 Million Baht in Call-Centre Scam
BANGKOK, Oct. 6, 2026 — Police in Thailand have arrested a 25-year-old Thai man and a 40-year-old Macau national accused of collecting money from a 19-year-old university student who was allegedly tricked by a call-centre scam.
The operation, led by Region 1 Police investigators, recovered 1.2 million baht in cash and prevented the student from withdrawing another 1.3 million baht, putting more than 2.5 million baht at risk.
The case began on October 3 when staff at a Government Savings Bank branch at Future Park Rangsit in Pathum Thani contacted police after becoming suspicious about a student’s attempted withdrawal.
Bank staff spot suspicious behaviour
At around 2:20pm, the student, identified as Thanadon, presented his bank book and identification documents and withdrew 1.2 million baht in cash.
Police later learned that he had handed the money to suspected members of the scam operation in the Future Park Rangsit car park.
Investigators said the student had been contacted by people claiming to work for AIS, who told him that his name had been used to register a telephone number connected to criminal activity.
The scammers allegedly persuaded him to communicate through LINE and video calls, before impersonating officers from Mueang Phichit Police Station.
During the video calls, the student was shown a background resembling a police station and was persuaded to reveal information about his assets.
Later that day, he returned to the bank and attempted to withdraw another 1.3 million baht.
Bank employees noticed that he remained on a video call and appeared anxious. They contacted police and stopped the second withdrawal before the money could be handed over.
Police set up controlled operation
Investigators subsequently arranged a controlled operation at the Future Park Rangsit car park on Phahonyothin Road in Thanyaburi district.
Police arrested Kochaphong, 25, and recovered the 1.2 million baht in cash.
According to police, Kochaphong admitted that he had been instructed to collect the money and deliver it to a Chinese national in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district.
Investigators then arranged for him to deliver the cash at a meeting point on Thiam Ruam Mit Road, near the MRT project’s main maintenance building.
Police arrested Loi Chan Lok, 40, a Macau national, when he arrived to receive the money.
Chan allegedly told investigators that he was supposed to pass the cash to another Chinese national who had instructed him to collect it.
Police later searched Chan’s condominium in Soi Pracharat Bamphen 20 in Huai Khwang but reported finding no additional illegal items.
Both suspects were charged with jointly defrauding the public while impersonating another person and were handed over to investigators at Pratunam Chulalongkorn Police Station.
Immigration Police Investigation Division 3 also participated in the operation.
Authorities said arrangements were being made to return the recovered 1.2 million baht to the student under the “Money Cash Back” policy.
