The Thaiger
Thai man held over 21m baht romance scam, fake documents
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Police in Chanthaburi have arrested a Thai man accused of a romance scam , in which he deceived a victim into handing over more than 21 million baht through hundreds of payments and transfers over nearly 17 months .
Key facts
- Police in Chanthaburi have arrested a Thai man accused of a romance scam , in which he deceived a victim into handing over more than 21 million baht through hundreds of payments and transfers over nearly 17 months .
- Investigators allege the suspect used fake bank statements and police documents to convince the victim he could repay borrowed money
- According to investigators, Phongthon first met the victim at a massage shop in Bangkok around March 2025
- Police said the victim handed over money and valuables on 623 occasions between April 21, 2025, and September 19, 2026, resulting in combined losses of more than 21.28 million baht.
Summary
Investigators allege the suspect used fake bank statements and police documents to convince the victim he could repay borrowed money. The man also reportedly told police he used artificial intelligence (AI) to create and alter the documents, although investigators have yet to verify that claim.
Chanthaburi police announced the arrest yesterday, October 11, revealing that the victim had lost money and assets worth a total of 21,287,731.88 baht in what police described as a romance scam.