Thai woman impersonates neurosurgeon, scams over 1 million baht

In a significant operation, Thai police arrested a 35 year old woman for impersonating a neurosurgeon and defrauding medical staff and officials, alongside scamming a love interest resulting in losses of over 1 million baht.

The suspect, identified only as Suwanaumpha or “Pla,” was apprehended yesterday in Bangkok. She was wanted on charges of fraud and entering false information into computer systems, stemming from a Ratcha Buri Provincial Court warrant dated April 18.

The investigation began when a prominent hospital in the Phaya Thai area reported that an individual using the name Suwanaumpha was using a forged hospital staff ID card to pose as a brain surgeon. The card was an outdated version no longer in use.

With this fake identity, she deceived several patients and hospital staff, leading to an internal investigation by the hospital’s medical faculty, which concluded that no such person was employed there or associated with the hospital.

The investigation uncovered a previous arrest warrant attached to Suwanaumpha dated January 2020 where a victim, who had been in contact with the suspect through Facebook under the user name Personal Information, was tricked into believing that she was a doctor at Ramathibodi Hospital.

They entered into a relationship, with Suwanaumpha visiting the victim in Ratcha Buri every week under the pretence of her hospital work in Bangkok.

Financial damage

In April 2023, after the conclusion of their relationship, it was revealed that Suwanaumha had previously convinced the victim to transfer approximately 300,000 baht to compensate the relatives of a deceased patient she claimed to have operated on.

The total extent of the financial damage inflicted upon the victim amounted to 1,283,620 baht.

Upon realisation that Suwanaumpha had no affiliation with Ramathibodi Hospital nor was she a medical practitioner there, the victim reported the deception to the authorities.

This led to the issuance of an arrest warrant, and the subsequent capture of the suspect dressed in medical staff attire, complete with an English name badge on her uniform.

During the interrogation, she confessed to the allegations, revealing that she had only completed up to high school in Nakhon Ratchasima and had no prior criminal record or convictions.

Following her confession, she was taken into custody by the Ratcha Buri City Police for legal proceedings.

This case underscores the importance of vigilance against identity fraud, particularly in sensitive sectors such as healthcare, where trust in professionals is paramount.

It also highlights the collaborative efforts of Thai law enforcement to apprehend individuals who exploit professional identities for personal gain, ensuring that justice is served and potential future victims are protected.