Pictures courtesy of SiamChon

An 18-year-old man was rescued by police in Pattaya after being kidnapped, detained and forced to withdraw more than 400,000 baht by a Chinese criminal gang that threatened to kill his entire family if he refused to cooperate. The operation led to the arrest of a Chinese national and his Thai girlfriend, with drugs, bank books, and electronic devices seized as evidence. Police are now expanding the investigation to trace financial links and dismantle the wider network.

The incident occurred at 6.20pm on 2 January 2026, when Pol Col Anek Sarathongyu, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, led a joint operation with senior officers from local police, Pattaya Tourist Police, and Chonburi Immigration. Officers rescued Mr Anuchit, aged 18, who had been abducted by a group of Chinese nationals and a Thai woman and taken by motorcycle to a condominium on Pattaya Third Road, Chonburi province. He was allegedly forced to withdraw funds, they claimed was theirs, from his bank accounts totalling more than 400,000 baht.

Police said the victim had fled to seek help from condominium staff in a state of extreme fear. He told officers he had responded to an online job advertisement on Facebook and was invited to meet to discuss work details. After saying he had no transport, a suspect offered to collect him from home, but instead took him to the condominium and confined him in a room.

The suspects allegedly persuaded him to open an online shopping application wallet in exchange for 1,500 baht, then seized his mobile phone and identity card and questioned him about other bank accounts. He was threatened with continued detention if he did not cooperate and later released after handing over bank details. When he realised nearly 400,000 baht transferred into his account was likely illegal money and froze the accounts with his bank, the gang reportedly returned to his home, searched for bank books, abducted him again and threatened to kill his family before taking him back to the same condominium.

During the rescue, police detained Ms Thidachom, aged 26, from Si Sa Ket province, identified as the Chinese suspect’s girlfriend. Officers then arrested Mr Li Liang, aged 27, a Chinese national, believed to be part of a wider Chinese gang, in a 13th-floor room, seizing approximately 0.4 grams of ketamine, drug paraphernalia, a laptop, and multiple bank books. Immigration checks found his permission had expired in September 2568.

Key Takeaways

• An 18-year-old was kidnapped and forced to act as a mule account with funds exceeding 400,000 baht.

• Police arrested a Chinese suspect with an overstayed visa and seized drugs and financial evidence.

• Authorities are expanding financial investigations to identify the full criminal network.

Related stories

Thai-ladyboy-arrested-for-fraud-blackmail-and-mule-accounts

Police-rescue-woman-from-call-centre-extortion-gang

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from SiamChon 2026-01-04

 

 

The Visa free idea for Chinese nationals is beginning to look a bit unsound these days. Any chance of chucking the lot of them out and starting again?

Don't worry the TM30 and TM47 self-reporting will resolve that issue. 🤔

That's scary.

Poor kid.

Why Grab?

Chinese quality tourists, Pattaya is full of quality tourists from every nation on the planet, place has turned into a swirling cesspit of humanity in recent years, but as long as the money flows in, no one gives a damn...

5 minutes ago, cookie1974 said:

Chinese quality tourists, Pattaya is full of quality tourists from every nation on the planet, place has turned into a swirling cesspit of humanity in recent years, but as long as the money flows in, no one gives a damn...

Yes, some truth there!

I'm not saying an 18 year doesn't have 400,000 baht but makes Zero sense he has no transportation but that amount in the bank. 40,000 gets you a decent used motorbike.

Regarding Chinese criminals (other nationalities).

I believe unless they have interpol or other shared notice they probably aren't flagged at immigration on entry.

With AI and biometric data being captured it is only going to get harder.

All good, hopefully detained at entry or sent right back will send a message Thailand is not open for your type of business.

4 minutes ago, J Branche said:

I'm not saying an 18 year doesn't have 400,000 baht but makes Zero sense he has no transportation but that amount in the bank. 40,000 gets you a decent used motorbike.

Read the story. They put it in his account.

On 1/4/2026 at 8:26 AM, Georgealbert said:

Pictures courtesy of SiamChon

An 18-year-old man was rescued by police in Pattaya after being kidnapped, detained and forced to withdraw more than 400,000 baht by a Chinese criminal gang that threatened to kill his entire family if he refused to cooperate. The operation led to the arrest of a Chinese national and his Thai girlfriend, with drugs, bank books, and electronic devices seized as evidence. Police are now expanding the investigation to trace financial links and dismantle the wider network.

The incident occurred at 6.20pm on 2 January 2026, when Pol Col Anek Sarathongyu, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, led a joint operation with senior officers from local police, Pattaya Tourist Police, and Chonburi Immigration. Officers rescued Mr Anuchit, aged 18, who had been abducted by a group of Chinese nationals and a Thai woman and taken by motorcycle to a condominium on Pattaya Third Road, Chonburi province. He was allegedly forced to withdraw funds, they claimed was theirs, from his bank accounts totalling more than 400,000 baht.

Police said the victim had fled to seek help from condominium staff in a state of extreme fear. He told officers he had responded to an online job advertisement on Facebook and was invited to meet to discuss work details. After saying he had no transport, a suspect offered to collect him from home, but instead took him to the condominium and confined him in a room.

The suspects allegedly persuaded him to open an online shopping application wallet in exchange for 1,500 baht, then seized his mobile phone and identity card and questioned him about other bank accounts. He was threatened with continued detention if he did not cooperate and later released after handing over bank details. When he realised nearly 400,000 baht transferred into his account was likely illegal money and froze the accounts with his bank, the gang reportedly returned to his home, searched for bank books, abducted him again and threatened to kill his family before taking him back to the same condominium.

During the rescue, police detained Ms Thidachom, aged 26, from Si Sa Ket province, identified as the Chinese suspect’s girlfriend. Officers then arrested Mr Li Liang, aged 27, a Chinese national, believed to be part of a wider Chinese gang, in a 13th-floor room, seizing approximately 0.4 grams of ketamine, drug paraphernalia, a laptop, and multiple bank books. Immigration checks found his permission had expired in September 2568.

Key Takeaways

• An 18-year-old was kidnapped and forced to act as a mule account with funds exceeding 400,000 baht.

• Police arrested a Chinese suspect with an overstayed visa and seized drugs and financial evidence.

• Authorities are expanding financial investigations to identify the full criminal network.

Related stories

Thai-ladyboy-arrested-for-fraud-blackmail-and-mule-accounts

Police-rescue-woman-from-call-centre-extortion-gang

  

Adapted by ASEAN Now from SiamChon 2026-01-04

 

 

interesting tattoo!

On 1/5/2026 at 1:21 AM, cookie1974 said:

Chinese quality tourists, Pattaya is full of quality tourists from every nation on the planet, place has turned into a swirling cesspit of humanity in recent years, but as long as the money flows in, no one gives a damn...

"In recent years." 🤣 🤣

On 1/7/2026 at 10:08 AM, khunpeer said:

interesting tattoo!

Are you thinking Yakuza?

it seems huge, yeah could be!