Thai man arrested for blackmailing boy with nude photos
Thai police arrested a man accused of coercing a 12 year old boy into sending nude photos and subsequently blackmailing him for money. The boy’s father reported the incident after noticing his son’s distress.
Yesterday, October 19, police officials in Chiang Mai apprehended 32 year old Pitsanu Jongjitklang, on charges of extortion and fraudulent use of a computer system to cause harm. The arrest took place at a parking lot near Bang Na Nok Temple in Bangkok, with police seizing a mobile phone and bank account records as evidence.
Pitsanu’s actions came to light when Badin, the father of the 12 year old boy identified as A, reported the incident to the Hang Dong Police Station. Using the Facebook alias Hardis Spudspeedspad, Pitsanu befriended the boy and persuaded him to send nude photos. He then threatened to make the photos public unless the boy transferred money to him regularly.
The boy, fearing exposure, complied with Pitsanu’s demands, transferring a total of 7,098 baht (US$215) across 12 transactions via a TrueMoney account registered under Pitsanu’s name. The extortion left the boy in a state of fear, affecting his ability to attend school and causing severe emotional distress.
On September 11, Badin visited the Chiang Mai Provincial Police Investigation Division to provide additional information and follow up on the case. He expressed concern over the continued threats, which had driven his son to contemplate self-harm. Police investigations confirmed that Pitsanu was behind the Facebook account used for the blackmail.
Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, police discovered Pitsanu residing near Bang Na Nok Temple in Bangkok. Officers promptly moved to arrest him, reported KhaoSod.
During questioning, Pitsanu confessed to chatting with and threatening the boy to extort money. Examination of his mobile phone revealed conversations with nine other minors involving sexual content, prompting further investigation.
