In a significant operation, Thai police have apprehended eight members of a gang responsible for stealing over 50 rental cars, using counterfeit documents to register the vehicles, and reselling them on the internet.
The gang, which was reportedly circulating over 40 million baht from their illicit activities, was dismantled after a months-long investigation. The bust was confirmed by Pol Maj Gen Khongkrit Loetsitthikun, commander of the Highway Police Division (HPD), on Thursday.
Eight out of the nine individuals named in the warrants have been arrested, with the ninth suspect still at large. The suspects were identified as Phattharada, 32, Tharathep, 32, Chokchana, 66, Ramphai, 30, Warut, 26, Ratthanaphon, 35, Sippawin, 32, Ramwirin, 30, and Chaiwat, 39. The missing suspect, Mr. Warut, remains on the run.
The suspects face multiple charges, including embezzlement, document forgery, the use of falsified documents, and providing false information to obtain government documents unlawfully. The eight arrested individuals were taken into custody on Wednesday.
Among the arrested, Phattharada and Tharathep were the masterminds of the operation, overseeing the scheme and financing its activities. Chokchana, Ramphai, and Warut were responsible for stealing the rental cars, while Ratthanaphon and Sippawin handled the process of falsifying the car registration documents and obtaining new license plates. Ramwirin was tasked with posting the stolen cars for sale on social media and finding buyers, while Chaiwat delivered the vehicles to the buyers.
The investigation began in December when a car rental business owner in Chachoengsao province reported that one of her rental cars had been stolen. The owner later discovered the vehicle had been re-registered with a new license plate. This led her to file a complaint with local police. During her own investigation, she found that the stolen car had been issued a new license plate in Nakhon Pathom.
With cooperation from the Department of Land Transport (DLT), it was confirmed that fake documents had been used to support the re-registration of the stolen car. Highway police traced the car and, on January 8, spotted it leaving Nakhon Pathom and heading north. A chase ensued, and the car was eventually intercepted in Tak, where the buyer was detained. The buyer revealed they had purchased the vehicle for 300,000 baht through an online transaction.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to search for the remaining suspect and uncover more details about the gang’s operations.
