Foreign tourists wrongfully arrested for fraud in Phuket

PHUKET: Two Chinese tourists were arrested and subsequently released yesterday after officers in Phuket received a warning from officials in Bangkok about their alleged involvement in credit card fraud.

“Mr Jun Jie Ju and Ms Jia Xin Chen were arrested at a Cherng Talay hotel at about 3pm,” said Lt Col Tianchai Chompoo of Phuket Immigration Police.

The colonel said that the tourists had asked their friend in China to reserve a hotel for them via an agent, adding that the agent made the booking using travel website Agoda.

“It was later discovered that the agent had used another person’s credit card for the booking, which brought initial suspicions on the two tourists,” said Col Tianchai.

“We did not find a credit card in their possession or any other illegal items. We also did not detect anything suspicious in their WeChat [popular social media application in China] conversations with their friends either. We are sure that they had nothing to do with it,” he added.

Police are investigating further to locate the agent in China.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong