Police in Chanthaburi have arrested a Thai man accused of a romance scam, in which he deceived a victim into handing over more than 21 million baht through hundreds of payments and transfers over nearly 17 months.
Investigators allege the suspect used fake bank statements and police documents to convince the victim he could repay borrowed money. The man also reportedly told police he used artificial intelligence (AI) to create and alter the documents, although investigators have yet to verify that claim.
Chanthaburi police announced the arrest yesterday, October 11, revealing that the victim had lost money and assets worth a total of 21,287,731.88 baht in what police described as a romance scam.
The suspect, identified only as Phongthon, was arrested on October 10 by officers from the Chanthaburi Provincial Police Investigation Division under a warrant issued by the Chanthaburi Provincial Court on October 7.
He faces charges relating to entering false or forged computer data, forging and using official documents, and fraud.
According to investigators, Phongthon first met the victim at a massage shop in Bangkok around March 2025. The two subsequently developed a romantic relationship.
As their relationship progressed, the suspect began asking to borrow money for various reasons, repeatedly assuring the victim that he would eventually repay.
To convince the victim he was financially secure, he allegedly sent an image of a bank balance certificate through the LINE messaging application. The document appeared to show deposits totalling 14,067,897.05 baht, suggesting he had sufficient funds to settle his debts.
However, investigators later discovered that the bank document was forged.
The suspect also allegedly presented another document claiming to have been issued by Mueang Nonthaburi Police Station. He told the victim that his mother had been arrested over illegal underground lottery gambling and needed money to pay a fine.
Police subsequently established that this document was also fake.
According to details from the police briefing, the suspect claimed to have used AI technology to manipulate the bank document and change bank account figures.
Police said the victim handed over money and valuables on 623 occasions between April 21, 2025, and September 19, 2026, resulting in combined losses of more than 21.28 million baht.
The victim eventually discussed the situation with their family before filing a police complaint. Investigators then collected evidence, obtained an arrest warrant and tracked down the suspect.
Further enquiries indicated that some of the money was allegedly used to repay informal debts and cover personal expenses. Police believe most of the funds were spent on online gambling, particularly slot games.
Following his arrest, Phongthon was transferred to Mueang Chanthaburi Police Station for further legal proceedings.
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