Bangkok, Dec 23: A 55-year-old Thai man, Kritsana, has been arrested for defrauding a group of eight deaf Chinese tourists by posing as the owner of a café in Bangkok’s historic Maharaj district. The arrest follows an incident on December 5, when Kritsana collected 2,608 baht from the tourists at I-Yen Café and then fled the scene.
The victims — Ms. Xiulian, Mr. Weidong, Mr. Fengmei, Ms. Yanfen, Mr. Qianyong, Ms. Xiaoju, Mr. Yongqing, and Mr. Tao — filed a complaint at the Royal Palace Police Station through Police Lieutenant Colonel Theerapong Pinitmonthri. The tourists were about to depart on December 7 when they realized they had been scammed.
After investigating CCTV footage, the police located and arrested Kritsana on December 23 at a Bang Na housing complex. During questioning, Kritsana admitted to the crime, explaining that his financial struggles after his clothing business in Huai Khwang collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic led him to target tourist groups, using his Chinese language skills to gain their trust.
This incident was not a one-time occurrence. Police records revealed that Kritsana, who speaks Chinese, had previously been released from prison on May 2, 2024, after serving time for theft. He has a history of running similar scams in popular tourist areas such as Pathumwan, Yannawa, and Plubpla Chai. His usual method involved dressing well, convincing foreign tourists that he was the owner of the establishment, collecting payments, and fleeing immediately.
Kritsana now faces charges of fraud by impersonation, which carry penalties of up to 7 years in prison and fines ranging from 10,000 to 140,000 baht.