BANGKOK, THAILAND — A 22-year-old Thai woman, Thanchanok, was arrested on January 7 for conspiring with Chinese suspects to steal credit cards at several onsen establishments in Bangkok, resulting in losses exceeding 200,000 baht.
The scheme involved posing as an onsen client to steal wristbands used to access lockers, where victims stored their credit cards and belongings. The locker system relied on magnetic wristbands, but there were no CCTV cameras in the locker rooms due to privacy concerns, leaving victims with no evidence to identify the perpetrators.
Thanchanok admitted to stealing wristbands, which she then replicated with the help of her Chinese accomplices. The counterfeit wristbands allowed them to access victims’ lockers and steal their credit cards.
Victims began coming forward after the story gained attention on social media. One woman, who nearly lost 85,900 baht after her credit card was fraudulently used, helped spark the investigation. Additional victims reported similar incidents, with some losing significant amounts of money.
Thanchanok faces two charges under the Criminal Code:
Section 335: Theft at night by damaging barriers meant to protect property, punishable by one to five years in prison and a fine of 20,000 to 100,000 baht.
Section 269/5: Illegally using another person’s electronic card or device, punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
The police continue to investigate and are working to apprehend the remaining Chinese suspects involved. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the scam extended to other locations, such as the MRT train stations in Bangkok.