Malaysian man robs Chinese influencer to fund Chiang Mai holiday
Thief lures victim with fake crypto deal which turns into knife-point robbery
A 34 year old Malaysian man robbed a Chinese influencer and university student of 135,000 baht in the northern province of Chiang Mai, claiming he needed the money to fund his holiday.
Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station officers held a press conference yesterday, May 27, to reveal details of the case. The suspect, identified as Eng Chee Hon, allegedly committed the robbery on May 25 and was arrested yesterday.
The victim, 28 year old Chinese university student and social media influencer Tan Liaing, previously exchanged cryptocurrency with Eng. On the day of the incident, Eng arranged to meet Tan in the car park of a luxury condominium on Tha Phae Road, luring him with an attractive exchange rate.
Tan arrived with 135,000 baht in cash but, instead of completing the transaction, Eng reportedly threatened him with a knife and stole the bag of money before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Police reviewed nearby CCTV footage and were able to track Eng to his condominium in the San Sai district. Officers arrested him and recovered 101,160 baht of the stolen money from his residence.
Investigations revealed that Eng worked as an eyewear vendor in Malaysia and also operated a cryptocurrency exchange.
He is also reportedly a professional gambler who engaged in both online and offline betting. Much of the money he spent during his stay in Chiang Mai was believed to have come from gambling winnings.
During interrogation, Eng admitted to robbing the victim to finance his travels in Thailand. He said he was invited to Chiang Mai by a Vietnamese friend and had since entered into a relationship with a Burmese woman he met during the trip.
Eng was found to be staying in Thailand on a tourist visa, which had already expired at the time of his arrest. He now faces two criminal charges including:
- Section 339 of the Criminal Law: Robbery involving the use or threat of violence, punishable by five to ten years’ imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 to 200,000 baht.
- Section 81 of the Immigration Act: Overstaying a visa, which carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 20,000 baht, or both.
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