PATTAYA, Thailand – October 8th, 2025 – At 6:00 AM, a local man, known only as Mr. Bird, rushed to Pattaya City Police Station to report the abduction of his sister, Ms. Pimnipa, aged 20, who was being held captive by a Chinese scam gang in a luxury hotel in the Jomtien area. Acting swiftly, police mobilized a team, located the exact room, and successfully rescued the victim.
Mr. Bird revealed that he received a desperate message from his sister, including the hotel’s location, prompting him to alert the authorities immediately for a rescue operation.
Ms. Pimnipa, visibly shaken and in tears, explained her ordeal to The Pattaya News. She explained that she had come across a Facebook post in a group advertising “mule account” jobs. Struggling financially and needing money for rent, she contacted the poster. She was later picked up at the entrance to Walking Street in South Pattaya, driven around Pattaya and Sriracha in multiple vehicles, and eventually taken to a luxury hotel in Jomtien, where she was held against her will.
According to Ms. Pimnipa, the gang, consisting of six to seven Chinese individuals, confiscated her mobile phone and ATM card after she provided her bank account details. They forced her to withdraw a sum of money while prohibiting her from touching any of her belongings. The group later accused her of causing a loss of over 200,000 baht from the account, threatening her with harm if she did not confess. She was then blindfolded and taken to the hotel for confinement.
In a moment of quick thinking, Ms. Pimnipa convinced the gang to return her phone, claiming she needed to contact a friend to open additional accounts for them. Instead, she secretly messaged her brother for help, providing the hotel’s coordinates, which enabled the police to intervene in time.
During the rescue, authorities found one Chinese man guarding Ms. Pimnipa in the hotel room. He was detained and taken to Pattaya City Police Station for questioning but has so far refused to cooperate or answer any questions. Police have placed him in custody for further investigation and are working to track down other members of the gang for legal action.
The incident shows the dangers of online scams and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals through illicit schemes like mule accounts. Authorities are urging the public to exercise caution and report suspicious activities promptly.
