A Diamond merchant from Chantaburi province, believing that 700 diamonds, with an approximate value of almost two million Baht, were genuine, clinched a deal with 4 Namibians, only to later discover they were fake. She reported the rip-off and fortunately managed to get restitution, but, sadly, minus 100,000 baht that the gang had already spent.

On 23 July, at 12.00, Mrs. Gaysorn Jirakasemnukul (40), a diamond and gem merchant, from Mueng, Chantaburi province, reported to Pol.Col. Suthin Sabphuang of Pattaya Police that four Namibians had sold her 700 fake diamonds, worth about 1.7 million Baht, misappropriated her diamond analysis machine and beat a hasty retreat with the stolen cash to Pattaya.

Somehow, with the help of a friend, she discovered that the gang was staying at Acadia Mansions on Pattaya 2nd Road, which she told to the police, and armed with this information the police swooped on them. Conveniently, the police team, led by Pol.Lt.Col. Suphachai Phuigaewkam arrived just as the gang was checking out of the hotel and they were detained for investigation.

The gang members, identified as Mr.George Jackson Petrus (37), Mr.Immanuel Markus (46), Mr.Amukoto Eliaser (40), Mr.Charles Namuyamba (41), from the Republic of Namibia, claimed that they, themselves, had been duped. They maintained they had purchased from a merchant and sold them on to Mrs. Gaysorn in good faith on July 22, making a profit of about 700,000 Baht, after which they went to Pattaya to enjoy themselves.

Mrs. Gaysorn maintains that she had first checked the diamonds to ascertain their genuineness and had been convinced of their authenticity, paying the gang in a mixture of Baht and US dollars and also lending the gang her diamond analysis machine. However, she rechecked the gems later and discovered that they were fake, having been glazed with a special chemical to make them look like the real thing. Discovering this, she pulled out all the stops to trace the gang.

The police negotiated with both parties and the gang agreed to give back the money, minus more than 100,000 Baht that they had already spent. She did not intend to press charges as she believed they, too, had been the victims of rip-off merchants. The moral being caveat emptor – let the buyer beware. The Namibians were later released.

News Type : Crime

Story : Kampee

Photo : Kampee

Translater : Sunny T

http://pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000003502

This story is very very suspect knowing the way most foreign scam artists are handled by Thailand's finest. Was the 100,000 spent before they arrived at the police station? Only the 2 or maybe all 3 parties will ever know the rest of the story.

Any knowledgeable diamond merchant would have spotted the fakes immediately.

All stones should be cleaned before the thermal probe used for testing them is applied.

If they were moissanite which is a created stone resembling a diamond somewhat then the colour would have been a give away and the reflective properties of the stones would show a noticeable difference to diamonds.

A moissanite tester which every diamond dealer should have would have easily detected them.

I wonder just how much knowledge of diamonds this dealer had?

700 diamonds for almost 2,000,000.- THB = 2857 THB per piece ! If it's looking too good to be true.....