Two Taiwanese arrested for alleged bank scam

PATTAYA: -- Tourist police have arrested two Taiwanese men for allegedly luring mainland Chinese to transfer money to specific accounts in China, and then withdrawing cash from ATMs in Pattaya.

Wang Chen Chieh, 37, and Juan Tai Cheng, 34, were arrested at a Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) ATM in Pattaya on Thursday, Central Investigation Bureau commissioner Pol LtGeneral Thangai Prassachaksattru said at a press conference at the bureau's head office yesterday.

Police were alerted by the SCB that the foreigners had been suspiciously using many ATM cards issued by a Chinese bank to withdraw money from SCB ATMs since last month.

Police found 45 ATM cards on the two Taiwanese, and another 132 cards when they searched their room at the Honey Inn in Pattaya. The cards were issued by China Union Pay Bank.

Police said the two had hired friends in China to open accounts and mail them the ATM cards. They then opened a call centre and lured Chinese to transfer the money to the accounts, before using the cards to withdraw the money in Pattaya.

-- The Nation 2009-07-04

IMHO these news will not attract too much attention (at least not in the Thai press).

Why? The guys who committed the crime are Asians - not "Westerners" better known as Farangs...!

Thats what I call a real " Chinese Take-Away " . # 177 please

Will the police ever arrest the pooyais who scam the banks, seemingly with the assistance of bank senior executives, as a matter of routine?

Maybe after the Udon Winter Olympics?