Chinese housekeeper suspected in 100 million baht theft in Pattaya
Police suspect a Chinese housekeeper is behind a theft at the house of a Chinese businessman in Pattaya, resulting in a loss exceeding 100 million baht.
Officers from Huay Yai Police Station were called to the house in the Bang Lamung district of Pattaya at 1.30am yesterday, January 16, to investigate the theft. The two-storey luxury house is located on a 320-square-metre plot of land and is valued at at least 8 million baht.
The 43 year old Chinese housekeeper, Youchao Cho, informed the police that the Chinese homeowner, 39 year old Wang Liang Chen, had left Thailand for China. Cho explained that Chen operated a travel agency in Thailand and had employed him to take care of the property in his absence.
Cho led the officers to the second floor of the house, where evidence of a theft was found. On the second floor, police discovered a safe that had been forcibly opened with a hammer, damaging its back panel. Empty watch boxes were scattered across the floor, and one of the house’s windows had been damaged.
Cho stated that he was not at the house when the theft occurred. He and his family had left the property at 3pm on January 15 and returned at 9pm to discover the theft. However, Cho did not clarify why he delayed reporting the incident to the police until 1.30am.
Chen’s Thai business partner, Somboon, was also summoned for questioning. Somboon informed the police that Chen was currently unable to return to Thailand as he was involved in a legal dispute in China.
Somboon contacted Chen to inform him of the theft and learned that most of the stolen valuables from the safe were luxury watches valued at over 100 million baht.
Police officers told Channel 7 that they are working to determine how the thief managed to bypass the village’s security measures. The community is surrounded by abandoned land, thick with trees and overgrown grass, making it difficult for anyone to navigate unnoticed.
Further investigations, including a review of CCTV footage, are being conducted to identify the suspect. The Chinese housekeeper is also required to attend further questioning.
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