Pattaya, Thailand – Pattaya City Police have arrested a 38-year-old Malaysian man of Chinese descent in connection with a sophisticated call center scam that defrauded a 20-year-old Thai university student of his entire 1.93 million baht inheritance.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Yap Chin Keong, was apprehended this afternoon (February 14th, 2026) at a hotel in Soi Ngam Wong Wan 18, in the Bang Khen sub-district of Nonthaburi province. The operation was carried out jointly by investigators from Pattaya City Police Station, led by Pol. Col. Anek Sathon Yu, Superintendent, and Pol. Lt. Col. Arus Saphanon, Deputy Superintendent (Crime Suppression), together with officers from the Bang Pho Police Station.
The arrest followed a court-issued warrant from Pattaya Provincial Court charging the suspect with joint fraud by impersonating another person, joint forgery and use of forged official documents, and jointly introducing false data into a computer system.
The victim, a 20-year-old engineering student from Rayong province (name withheld), reported the incident to Pattaya City Police on February 11th, 2026. He stated that he received a phone call in which the caller claimed to be an AIS mobile network official. The scammer alleged that the victim’s national ID had been used to open a phone number for promoting an online gambling website.
The fraudster then directed the victim to continue the conversation via Line app and insisted on “verifying financial trails” by withdrawing cash. Believing the story, the student withdrew 1,933,000 baht in cash, his full inheritance left by his late mother, which had been transferred to his account only after he turned 20, and arranged to hand it over at the parking lot of a shopping mall on Sukhumvit Road South in Pattaya, thinking he was going to meet a real official to verify where the money came from.
Upon arrival, the suspect approached the victim’s vehicle, took the cash, saying he was going inside the mall to verify it at an AIS branch and would return shortly, and then fled the scene. The victim only realized he had been scammed after the money was gone.
Police reviewed CCTV footage from the mall and parking area to trace the suspect.
The footage showed:
– At 14:42, a man wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, face mask, and black backpack walking in the parking lot.
– At 14:50, approaching the victim’s car trunk to collect the cash before returning into the mall.
– At 15:01, exiting a restroom in a short-sleeved white shirt without a mask, then leaving the mall.
– At 15:16:45, boarding a white Toyota Yaris Cross (license plate 6ขธ-4840, Bangkok) and heading toward Bangkok.
Further investigation revealed the suspect had traveled to Hat Yai district in Songkhla province before returning to the Nonthaburi hotel on February 14th, where he was arrested.
During a search of his hotel room, officers recovered clothing worn during the incident. The suspect claimed he had handed all the money to his unknown “boss” and had none left.
He is currently in custody at Pattaya City Police Station for further questioning. Authorities continue to investigate potential accomplices and any recoverable funds. Updates will be provided as the case progresses.
