Pattaya performers scammed as organisers vanish with 430k
A comedy troupe and musicians were left high and dry in Pattaya after a fake event organiser disappeared with over 430,000 baht intended for their fees, prompting a police investigation.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday, November 18, near the entrance of Soi Khao Talo, where an outdoor concert was due to feature popular comedian Foy Thong Chuen Yim, young singer Paeng Fun, and Phetchaburi’s The Lamud band. The event was billed as an evening of entertainment with food and drink stalls to draw in the crowds.
According to the performers, a woman calling herself Wa, seen wearing a pink long-sleeved top and trousers, posed as the event organiser, accompanied by her husband. The pair allegedly acted as intermediaries between the artists and the venue owner, collecting the full budget upfront with the promise of handling all performer payments.
However, once the crowd arrived and the show was set to begin, the artists were told they would be paid only after they performed. The promised payments never came.
“We waited all night. They kept saying, ‘after the show,’ then ‘tomorrow morning.’ But by noon, their phones were off. We later found out they’d already taken the money from the venue owner,” one of the performers, Foy Thong, said.
The performers say the scammer couple tricked the venue owner into thinking they were legitimate organisers who would distribute funds to the acts. Instead, they vanished with the cash.
Police believe the suspects were under pressure from loan sharks and may have used the stolen money to settle personal debts. The venue owner, also a victim, accompanied the performers to Bang Lamung Police Station yesterday, November 19, to file a formal complaint. Officers confirmed he had no part in the fraud.
Foy Thong has since released a photo of himself with the female suspect, also known to some as Nok To, urging the public to report any sightings, according to The Pattaya News.
The incident has left the artists not only unpaid but also out of pocket for travel and a lost day’s work. Police have warned performers and organisers to verify credentials and secure written contracts with clear payment terms in future dealings.
The investigation is ongoing.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
