Northern Irish Man Arrested in Bangkok Over Credit Card Fraud

A 50-year-old Northern Irish man has been apprehended in the On Nut area of Bangkok after evading authorities for over two years due to credit card hacking offences amounting to nearly 2 million baht. Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyalak directed the arrest of Josh (surname withheld) at a hotel in On Nut on Thursday, reported the Immigration Division 1 team on Friday.

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Josh, a British national from Northern Ireland, was wanted under a warrant issued by the Bangkok South Kwaeng Court. The charges included fraud, importing falsified computer data, unauthorized access to secured computer systems, and other related offences. The arrest followed information provided by the Hotel Security Association about a foreign guest using invalid credit cards after checking into numerous high-end hotels.

Investigations revealed that the legitimate cardholders, all foreign nationals, discovered unauthorized transactions in Thailand, leading them to cancel their cards. This caused several luxury hotels to miss out on payments for accommodation and services rendered. Josh also allegedly attempted, unsuccessfully, to access hotel security systems with forged electronic keycards.

It's reported that Josh hacked a major online payment gateway on 11 occasions, transferring approximately 1.7 million baht into his accounts. This prompted a formal complaint at the Thong Lor police station, resulting in the arrest warrant. For two years, he remained elusive, hiding under forged passport data and using Thai women to book hotel rooms.

Surveillance tips led officials to his whereabouts as he prepared to check into a hotel in On Nut with a Thai woman. The officers arrested him on arrival, informed him of the charges, and transferred him to the Thong Lor station for legal processing, reported Bangkok Post.

Key Takeaways

• A Northern Irish man was arrested in Bangkok for hacking offences.

• He caused nearly 2 million baht in damages using unauthorized credit card transactions.

• Surveillance and strategic arrest led to his capture after two years on the run.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · Bangkok Post · 20 Feb 2026