Phuket villa scam leaves Thais and foreigners with over 100 million baht loss
Thai and foreign buyers lost more than 100 million baht to a Phuket property agent who duped them into purchasing luxury pool villas that were never completed. The victims claim their cases stalled because a well-known local politician is linked to the land involved.
A group of victims travelled from Phuket to Nonthaburi on Monday, December 1, to seek help from the Foundation for Justice Restoration, led by lawyer Ronnarong Kaewphet. They said they had already filed complaints at Thalang Police Station, but no progress had been made.
The victims explained that they purchased luxury pool villas priced between 15 and 20 million baht, but construction has remained unfinished for years. The agent, identified as Chaiwat, denied all responsibility and cut off contact with the buyers.
Chaiwat reportedly claimed to be the owner of property firms Alicha Grand and Alisha Property. He also told buyers that he owned the land for the development. However, the victims later discovered that the land belongs to a prominent Phuket politician.
A Thai woman, Sariya, and her Canadian husband said Chaiwat convinced them to buy a villa on what he described as his 25,600-square-metre plot. Trusting the project, they paid a 3.3-million-baht deposit on a 15-million-baht home.
Sariya, who is six months pregnant, said they planned to settle there with their child, but the villa remains incomplete.
Another victim, 84 year old Phuangphen, paid more than 20 million baht in full for a villa she hoped to share with her daughter after returning from the United States. She said the construction was not even halfway finished.
Thongchai Thongcharan, another affected buyer, said more than 10 victims came forward, and he believed the total damage exceeded 100 million baht. He paid 15 million baht for a house that was never finished. When he demanded answers, Chaiwat refused to meet him and later blocked all communication.
The victims said the influential politician linked to the land is a senior figure in a major political party, fuelling concerns that the case may be hindered or quietly dropped.
Other victims added that the property project reportedly used foreign models in promotional material, which convinced them of its legitimacy.
Lawyer Ronnarong said the case appeared to constitute public fraud. He plans to support the victims in filing a complaint either at Government House or the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to push for proper legal action.
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