A significant fraud case, involving more than 50 victims who were scammed out of their money for bamboo blinds they never received, has led to the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
Since 2018, victims have come forward with complaints, reporting they were duped by a misleading Facebook page. The accused, who had been evading authorities for some time, was eventually apprehended in Chiang Mai on December 18, following an extensive investigation.
The breakthrough came when the Region 5 Investigation Division, led by Worapong Khamlue, collaborated with central police to track down the suspect. The individual had been hiding in Chiang Mai after allegedly carrying out several fraudulent activities in Chon Buri.
“We received intelligence suggesting the suspect was in the area, and with the help of local police, we were able to confirm his location,” said Khamlue.
The investigation team traced the suspect to a village in the San Kamphaeng district, where he had previously lived with an ex-girlfriend. Despite their separation, investigators had been monitoring his mobile phone activity. With this information, they secured a search warrant, but when they arrived, they discovered he had relocated to Saraphi district.
Further assistance from local administrative officers and the residential management of Bua Khae Village led the team to Saraphi, where they finally located and arrested 32-year-old Thanakornwit. The arrest was made in compliance with a warrant issued by the Chiang Mai Provincial Court. Thanakornwit now faces charges of fraud and using falsified information in a computer system, causing potential harm to victims.
During questioning, Thanakornwit confessed to his crimes, explaining that he initially operated a legitimate bamboo blinds business that he heavily promoted on Facebook. The online marketing efforts attracted a large number of customers, resulting in overwhelming demand. However, due to production delays at his supplier’s factory, he was unable to fulfill the orders.
In an attempt to resolve his financial difficulties, Thanakornwit misused the money from the customers, leaving him unable to procure the blinds.
“I started with a legitimate business, but things spiraled out of control when I couldn’t keep up with the demand,” he stated.
His actions resulted in numerous complaints from victims across several provinces, with a significant concentration in Chiang Mai. Thanakornwit is now in custody at the Chang Phueak Police Station, where he will face prosecution. Police are also coordinating with other investigators handling related cases to ensure full legal accountability.
This arrest is expected to bring a sense of relief to the victims, as the authorities continue to tackle fraudulent activities in the region.
