Vietnamese gold laundering group arrested in Thailand

Thai cyber police have arrested five suspects linked to an alleged Vietnamese-led scam and gold-laundering network which police say defrauded 18 Thai victims of more than 12 million baht.

Fourteen gold bars valued at more than 1.7 million baht were seized when two Vietnamese nationals were allegedly preparing to sell them at a gold shop on July 25, police said at a briefing on July 31.

Police said the group moved money from scam victims through bank accounts, converted it into gold bars and then sold the gold for cash. Arrest warrants have been issued for seven people: three Vietnamese and four Thai nationals. Five suspects have been detained, while one Thai and one Vietnamese suspect remain at large.

Utility scam led to 1.8 million baht loss

The investigation began after a 61-year-old man was targeted on July 9 by callers posing as electricity authority staff, according to Police Lieutenant General Surapol Prembutr, commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau.

The victim was told that a transformer needed replacing and that he could claim back a transformer insurance payment. He was asked to add the callers on Line, then later spoke with them by video call and scanned a QR code they sent.

The scammers allegedly instructed him to open his banking app, change its menu language to English and follow their directions. When one-time password codes arrived on his phone, he was told they were queue numbers and asked to disclose them. Three transfers, totalling 1,799,400 baht, were subsequently made from his account.

For foreign residents, the case is a reminder that genuine utility providers and banks do not ask customers to reveal OTP codes or follow banking instructions from unsolicited callers.

Money allegedly converted into gold

Investigators traced the victim's transfers to an account belonging to Rung Rueang Sri Mongkol Limited Partnership and to an account in the name of Narisa. Police said Narisa withdrew cash at a bank counter in a Rangsit shopping centre in Pathum Thani before passing it to other members of the network.

Money in the company account was allegedly used in 22 transactions to buy gold bars from a shop in Sam Phran, Nakhon Pathom, worth a combined 5 million baht. Thai members of the group then collected the gold and allegedly passed it to Vietnamese organisers, who sold it at another gold shop in a Nonthaburi shopping centre for more than 4 million baht in cash.

Police identified the two Vietnamese suspects arrested while allegedly attempting to sell gold as 29-year-old Nguyen Dinh Sang and 25-year-old Thi Thuydung Trinh. Officers seized 14 gold bars weighing 27.5 baht-weight, cash of 66,500 baht, three mobile phones and two cars.

Pictures courtesy of Matichon

Police also named Thai suspects Narisa, 32; Phaitool, who was arrested on Kheha Romklao 37 Road in Lat Krabang, Bangkok; 29-year-old Sitthichat; and 34-year-old Wasuphat. Sitthichat and Wasuphat were found at a hotel on Sukhumvit Road in Noen Phra, Mueang Rayong.

The Vietnamese suspects told police they had been sent to Thailand to supervise Thai operatives buying gold, and personally controlled or carried out gold sales to prevent cash being taken by Thai accomplices. Immigration records showed both had entered Thailand repeatedly over several years, most recently late last year.

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1 August 2026

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