Police have arrested nine Chinese nationals in an investigation into alleged amulet fraud in Chonburi, eastern Thailand.

The Nation reports that the accused were running a shop at a Chonburi temple, where they sold fake amulets and Buddha images for prices that ranged from 1,000 baht to over 10,000 baht. They are accused of working with tour agents to target Chinese tourists and part them from their cash.

The suspects all entered Thailand on tourist visas and rented the store at the temple from December 6. Some of the men also pretended to be employed by the temple and would offer to help Chinese tourists take part in a religious ceremony if they paid a fee.

The chief of the Immigration Police says the men’s actions have had a negative impact on Thailand’s reputation. They have now been transferred to local police custody for processing.

This time last year a similar scam was uncovered by The Thaiger in Kathu, Phuket but little seems to have been done about it and the Chinese buses keep racking up each day – rinse and repeat.

Also read about the fake plastic amulets sold in Phuket HERE.

SOURCE: The Nation

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Police in Pattaya are hunting for a 49 year old real estate agent, Jidapha Sirikhong, who is alleged to have scammed both Thai and foreigner residents in a 45 million baht property scam. The Pattaya News reports that Jidapha is the owner of Som Property, with an office in an unnamed condominium building near Jomtien beach, where she took deposits for condo bookings.

Another real estate agent, 49 year old Thippawan Boonyam, says she made a number of long term rental bookings through Som Property, for customers in Thailand and overseas.

The customers, who included Australian, American, Austrian and Norwegian nationals, were told their deposits would be passed on to the condominium owners to secure their bookings. But the condo owners say they have not received any money.

Another victim, 52 year old Nanthika Mesnukun, says she bought a condo through Jidapha, paying Som Property in installments, but the current owner of the condo has received nothing.

The victims have now filed a group report with Pattaya City Police. The Acting Chief of police says they are currently hunting for Ms Sirikhong, who has disappeared. She is believed to have conned potential condo buyers and renters out of a total of 45 million baht.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News

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On December 11, a report was made following a post from the Facebook page ‘Rain Forest’ about 5 cats that were dumped and poisoned at Sai Kaew Beach, at the far north end of Mai Khao Beach in Phuket.

The post shows pictures of a cat and her four kittens that had been poisoned with water and food, probably laced with rat poisoning. Two food vendors at the beach, 58 year old Petch Saejia and 55 year old Kanchana Saenghuad, are the witnesses who found and buried the cats. (The pictures are in the original post although we decided not to display them)

Petch said that the incident happened on December 9, in the morning. She was riding her three-wheel ‘saleng’ to sell food at the beach as usual. But when she arrived, Kanchana, who had arrived earlier told her that someone dumped the 5 cats at the beach and poisoned them. She saw the dead kittens on the sandy area of the beach while the mother cat, who still had a collar with a bell, was struggling to move to her babies and licked them before she died as well, which Petch said was very tragic.

She also mentioned that the kittens were not weaned and they were still feeding the mother cat.

Petch said that she cried when she saw the incident. She said she felt sad for the cats and very angry toward the person who committed this crime. She believes that the cats had an owner as the mother cat still had a collar, but the owner might have been bored of them so they were dumped and killed.

She mentioned that she noticed a water dish with something that looks like rat bait at the bottom of the dish. The two vendors buried the cats along with leftover cat food.

She said that this action was “very evil” and she wished that the person who did this will suffer the same as these cats.

“If next life exist, I wish these cats will become humans instead of this cruel person.”

Meanwhile, Kanchana said that she also cried when seeing the dead kittens. They also went to the temple yesterday (December 11) to make merit for the lost souls and wish them to go to a good place where they won’t meet any cruel person like this.

(Translated)

SOURCE: Thairath.co.th

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