Man arrested for defrauding tourists in Maharaj café scam
A man posing as the owner of a popular café in the Maharaj area has been arrested after deceiving a group of Chinese tourists before fleeing with their money. The suspect, 55 year old Kritsana, was apprehended by police in a fraud case, having a notorious history of similar offences.
His arrest follows an incident involving eight hearing-impaired Chinese tourists at a café on Maharaj Road, where Kritsana impersonated the owner and charged them 2,608 baht (US$75) for their meal before making an escape.
The tourists, due to return to China shortly after the incident, were unable to file a complaint directly. As a result, police officer Teerapong Phinijmontri was assigned to file charges on their behalf.
The alleged fraud was promptly investigated by the police, who identified the suspect through CCTV footage. Following leads provided by informants, police located Kritsana at a flat in Bang Na and executed the arrest.
Kritsana’s criminal activities are not new to the police. He has previously been arrested for similar deceptions in the Pathumwan area, where he employed a consistent modus operandi: dressing well and engaging convincingly with staff to deceive foreign tourists into believing he owned the premises, subsequently making off with their money.
Kritsana was released from prison on May 2 after serving time for theft, and he admitted to resorting to fraud to make ends meet after his clothing business in Huai Khwang collapsed during the COVID-19 pandemic, reported KhaoSod.
According to investigations, Kritsana targeted popular tourist spots frequented by tour groups in areas such as Pathumwan, Yan Nawa, and Plubplachai. The police are continuing their investigation to ensure that all legal proceedings are correctly followed, with Kritsana currently in custody awaiting further legal action.
In related news, a significant fraud case involving over 50 victims duped into paying for bamboo blinds they never received has culminated in the arrest of the alleged perpetrator.
