PATTAYA, Thailand (July 16th 2026)
Thai Tourist Police have issued a public warning after arresting an Indian national accused of scamming tourists in Pattaya by pretending to read fortunes and extorting money for “rituals” to ward off bad luck.
The operation was conducted under orders from Police General Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, as part of a nationwide “X-ray, Surge, Sweep” campaign targeting illegal foreign workers and transnational crime. The Tourist Police Bureau, led by Police Lieutenant General Sak Sira Pheuak, directed the investigation.
According to the Tourist Police, they received multiple complaints from both Thai and foreign tourists about a group of foreign men, believed to be Indian nationals, dressed in monk-like attire or head coverings. The men approach people relaxing on beaches, in restaurants, and cafes, claiming their victims have “bad luck” or impending misfortune. They then offer to perform fortune-telling to remove the curse.
The scammers reportedly build trust by handing out blessed strings, yantra cloths, or writing “lucky numbers” on paper. They then demand payment for their services, starting at 199 baht and often pressuring victims into paying thousands of baht for additional “merit-making” or curse-removal rituals. If victims refuse, the men allegedly become aggressive, intimidating, and threatening until the tourists pay to avoid further harassment.
On July 16th, 2026 at approximately 1:20 p.m., officers from the Tourist Police Investigation Division arrested a suspect at a coffee shop in Pattaya. The man, identified only as Mr. Singh, 36, an Indian national, was caught performing palm and face readings for tourists.
Officers checked his documents and found he had no work permit. A tourist victim told police that Mr. Singh had approached him and his friend, claimed they had bad luck, performed a reading, and charged 199 baht each (the victims paid 200 baht). He then tried to solicit another 1,900 baht for a ritual to improve their fortune, which the victim refused.
Mr. Singh was charged with two offences:
– Working without permission as a foreigner temporarily in the Kingdom, under the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.
– Working without a work permit, under Section 8 and punishable under Section 101 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Decree B.E. 2560 (as amended).
He admitted to performing the fortune-telling and was taken to Pattaya City Police Station for further legal proceedings.
The Tourist Police Bureau has urged the public to be vigilant. If approached by anyone claiming you have bad luck and offering to perform rituals or fortune-telling to remove curses, citizens and tourists are advised to walk away immediately and not engage. Such encounters can result in significant financial loss and indirectly encourage illegal activities.
Anyone who encounters suspicious individuals or has information about similar scams is asked to report immediately to the Tourist Police hotline 1155 (24 hours), via the website www.Thaipoliceonline.com, or through the Tourist Police mobile application.
