Bt315-million Diamond Stolen

[george]

Bt315-million diamond stolen

A team of conmen Thursday made off with a diamond worth Bt315 million after introducing themselves as aides to a politician.

The diamond from Africa weighs about 420 grams or 2,100 carats.

"A man suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," Rinlapas Poonyajirapat said yesterday. "Then he jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Rinlapas, 58, runs a recruitฌment agency but also doubles as a diamond agent.

The diamond's rightful owner, 71-year-old Chakraphan Pramuansuk, was also present at the scene. He bought two diamonds from Africa for Bt500,000 about 15 years ago.

-- The Nation 2008-07-24

[TBWG]

Bt315-million diamond stolen

A team of conmen Thursday made off with a diamond worth Bt315 million after introducing themselves as aides to a politician.

The diamond from Africa weighs about 420 grams or 2,100 carats.

"A man suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," Rinlapas Poonyajirapat said yesterday. "Then he jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Rinlapas, 58, runs a recruitฌment agency but also doubles as a diamond agent.

The diamond's rightful owner, 71-year-old Chakraphan Pramuansuk, was also present at the scene. He bought two diamonds from Africa for Bt500,000 about 15 years ago.

-- The Nation 2008-07-24

Oh Dear

But surely it can't be worth 315 million baht thats about US$10,000,000. I'm no expert but isn't that a lot of cash for a diamond especially one for sale from a recruitment agency come diamond dealer

Unless of course he has a franchise from DeBeers!

Also thats some investment 2 for half a million baht 15 years ago now one worth 315mill, I'm not clever enough to work out the % profit but it is lot's

The whole thing stinks and reeks of amateur hour.

TBWG

[TBWG]

Hi

Quick off the Mark....Interpol have issued picture of stolen diamond!

TBWG

[ratcatcher]

Bt315-million diamond stolen

A team of conmen Thursday made off with a diamond worth Bt315 million after introducing themselves as aides to a politician.

The diamond from Africa weighs about 420 grams or 2,100 carats.

"A man suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," Rinlapas Poonyajirapat said yesterday. "Then he jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Rinlapas, 58, runs a recruitฌment agency but also doubles as a diamond agent.

The diamond's rightful owner, 71-year-old Chakraphan Pramuansuk, was also present at the scene. He bought two diamonds from Africa for Bt500,000 about 15 years ago.

-- The Nation 2008-07-24

Diamonds are not forever.

Ludicrous and farcical are two words that come to mind after reading this gem of a story.

Where would diamond dealers normally do business? Probably in a well secured office with guards on all doors.

These clowns sound as if they were inspecting it at a karaoke bar when a 'team'? of conmen arrived.

The fact that they said they were aides to a politician should have immediately started alarm bells ringing. Politician = CROOK!

The fact that he was able to easily make off on a motocy makes me wonder how the rest of the team escaped?

This is just another hilarious facet of this tall tale.

[TBWG]

Hi

See....

"A Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong just made the record for the world’s most expensive diamond. The diamond in question is of a blue hue and quality cut. It was purchased by Moussaieff Jewellers of London for $7.98 million USD. Weighing in at 6.04 carats, this diamond is worth about $1.32 million USD per carat, thus beating the “Hancock Red” which sold in 1987 for a mere $926,000 per carat. The auction was held on Monday, October 8th, 2007; bidding on the most expensive diamond lasted only 8 minutes and was, reportedly, fierce. Most expensive diamond in the world. Diamonds were first mined in India and have since become the most coveted gems. Currently, the diamond market is enriched by deposits in Russia, Botswana, Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The carat measurement refers to the mass of the diamond. When referring to precious gems, a carat is a fifth of a gram. The largest diamond, at 45.52 carats, is the famous Hope Diamond".

Obviously the Bangkok diamond is seriously undervalued, 2100 carats at US$ 1.32 mill per carat thats an awful lot of diamond floating around Bangkok on the back of a motorbike.

TBWG.

PS Yes I know I should have better things to do but it is a slow day!!!

[basjke]

Seems to be 1st of april every day in thailand.A diamond of 2100 carat. :D

[stumonster]

not an ex-saudi royal gem per chance ?

[TBWG]

Hi all

Thought you might like this

A tramp walked into an upmarket jewellers and stood there scratching his backside. The manager approached him and asked him what he thought he was doing. The tramp pointed out the sign in the window, saying "Come inside and pick your ring in comfort".

Well I thought it was funny!

TBWG

[Scott]

This could be one of those long interesting sagas.

[guava]

Seems to be 1st of april every day in thailand.A diamond of 2100 carat. :D :D

Yes the story does sound fishy/inaccurate etc, but a diamond of that size may well exist. The Cullinan Diamond was 3106 carat before it was broken down. Without knowing the grade of the diamond, speculating on value is a bit pointless.

If it is a true story and the details are accurate (I'm highly skeptical) then it could be a bit of payback from the Saudis

Yet to see any other paper carry this story.

[pampal]

Is it possible it was a raw/uncut/unpolished diamond if it weighed 2100 carats?

[Tony Clifton]

not an ex-saudi royal gem per chance ?

Funny you say that, ex-Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama recently said he would reopen and settle Saudi case once and for all.

[Johpa]

not an ex-saudi royal gem per chance ?

But perhaps the office was a recruitment office for work in Saudi and this was a training exercise that went wrong.

[Jimjim]

Is it possible it was a raw/uncut/unpolished diamond if it weighed 2100 carats?

Exactly. Not every diamond is worth the same per carat, right? It's about the quality of that particular diamond. But the report about how much this Bangkok diamond is worth certainly seems well exaggerated.

[guava]

Exactly. Not every diamond is worth the same per carat, right? It's about the quality of that particular diamond. But the report about how much this Bangkok diamond is worth certainly seems well exaggerated.

That's only around US$10 million. For probably one of the top 2 or 3 biggest diamonds ever found, perhaps even the biggest currently in existance. Seems like a possible steal to me

If this story is true and accurate, and if the stone is a good grade, I'd think it could be worth considerably more than that, just for uniqueness and bragging rights, even factoring in the massively inflated "value" of diamonds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_diamonds

Drifting off topic (sorry) - It'll be interesting to see in coming years how accepted artificial diamonds become. It may become the case that people consider it cool/trendy/socially aware etc to buy artificial, given the whole conflict/blood diamond situation and ongoing evil/greed, experts can barely (or can't) tell the difference, and they'll likely be considerably cheaper.

[haybilly]

Bt315-million diamond stolen

A team of conmen Thursday made off with a diamond worth Bt315 million after introducing themselves as aides to a politician.

The diamond from Africa weighs about 420 grams or 2,100 carats.

"A man suddenly ran away with the diamond just as we were discussing a purchase deal," Rinlapas Poonyajirapat said yesterday. "Then he jumped on a waiting motorcycle and sped away."

Rinlapas, 58, runs a recruitฌment agency but also doubles as a diamond agent.

The diamond's rightful owner, 71-year-old Chakraphan Pramuansuk, was also present at the scene. He bought two diamonds from Africa for Bt500,000 about 15 years ago.

-- The Nation 2008-07-24

Another successful coup for the news sleuths at good old Nation--wonder why no 'real' newspapers are covering this--as said, smacks of b---s--t.

[jayjayjayjay]

Hi

See....

"A Sotheby's auction in Hong Kong just made the record for the world's most expensive diamond. The diamond in question is of a blue hue and quality cut. It was purchased by Moussaieff Jewellers of London for $7.98 million USD. Weighing in at 6.04 carats, this diamond is worth about $1.32 million USD per carat, thus beating the "Hancock Red" which sold in 1987 for a mere $926,000 per carat. The auction was held on Monday, October 8th, 2007; bidding on the most expensive diamond lasted only 8 minutes and was, reportedly, fierce. Most expensive diamond in the world. Diamonds were first mined in India and have since become the most coveted gems. Currently, the diamond market is enriched by deposits in Russia, Botswana, Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The carat measurement refers to the mass of the diamond. When referring to precious gems, a carat is a fifth of a gram. The largest diamond, at 45.52 carats, is the famous Hope Diamond".

Obviously the Bangkok diamond is seriously undervalued, 2100 carats at US$ 1.32 mill per carat thats an awful lot of diamond floating around Bangkok on the back of a motorbike.

TBWG.

PS Yes I know I should have better things to do but it is a slow day!!!

This would look really sweet around someones neck. Imagine a rock the size of your fist floating in someones clevage!!! Maybe one of Thaksin daughters. I for one would be happy to be body guard to keep the thing off the ground. 555555

[Boater]

surley if you had a 10 million USD Diamond, you would have a trained secrutiy guard???

[Ijustwannateach]

I'd be thinking, "insurance scam...."

[0Mix1up]

a friend of mines mother and grand mother went to

inspect some expensive rubies etc in Bkk

and they were locked in before the items were shown.

seems like it was a roadside diamond stall!

a bag of bugs with every purchase?

[Scott]

I am thinking something dishonest, but not insurance scam. The idea of a diamond this size and of that value (whether real or imagined) being insured by a company that didn't insist on appropriate security is pretty unlikely. If you didn't have it properly guarded, they likely wouldn't pay.

[PoorSucker]

Has not turned up on http://classifieds.thaivisa.com.

[caratfarmer]

Hey Guys,

The piece is seriously under valued. 10 mil US for 2100 ct., after cutting and adding the weight loss on to pieces that are sellable, it would fetch much more. But its still smells fishy, I wonder if the guys who took it will actually cut it down in Thailand it self...

Looking forward to more updates on this topic.

Cheers

CF

[caratfarmer]

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/07/25...30078962-01.jpg

image released on Nationmultimedia.com

[dave111223]

This has to be some kind of scam. The idea that the owner of a 315M baht diamond would let 2 guys (who he'd never met before) walk outside holding the diamond "to get a better look at it in the sunlight", is totally laughable.

Edited July 25, 2008 by dave111223

[Tony Clifton]

I'd be thinking, "insurance scam...."

This has to be some kind of scam. The idea that the owner of a 315M baht diamond would let 2 guys (who he'd never met before) walk outside holding the diamond "to get a better look at it in the sunlight", is totally laughable.

Also my 1st thought on this.

The men in brown will solve this one in a flash : The diamond jumped.

[BSJ]

The Thai equivalent of the Marxs Brothers! They are real cunny funts!