Romance scam in Pattaya: 10 people detained

Romance scam in Pattaya has become the subject of a police investigation: on November 9, 2026, officers searched a house in the area of Nong Prue. According to local media citing police, 10 foreigners were detained — 8 Chinese citizens and 2 Myanmar citizens. Investigators are examining an alleged scam scheme in which online romances were combined with offers to invest money.

Bank records described by journalists include transfers totaling 350 million baht. This is the total of transactions, not a court-confirmed amount of damage; the guilt of those detained has also not been established. Initial reports point to possible victims in China, not to proven cases of tourists being defrauded in Pattaya. The circumstances of the case and the status of those detained may be clarified. Current as of November 13, 2026.

What is known

According to the Thai publication Thairath, the operation took place on November 9, 2026, at around 16:00 local time. As the Thailand-focused outlet The Thaigerspecifies, police searched a two-story house in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district.

Police reported the arrest of 10 foreigners — 8 Chinese citizens and 2 Myanmar citizens, as relayed by the Thai newspaper Khaosod. According to the local outlet The Pattaya News, the following items were seized: 2 laptops, 32 mobile phones and more than 178 SIM cards. The arrest itself does not mean guilt has been proven.

According to a report on the news platform LINE TODAY, preliminary testimony says the house was rented for 140,000 baht a month and used for about 6 months. These details are so far part of the investigation materials.

How the alleged scam scheme worked

More details on the signs of such scams are in the article: how to spot a scam in Thailand. According to investigators, the alleged participants searched for contacts through the Chinese short-video service Douyin, as reported by the news platform LINE TODAY.

As the Pattaya newspaper Pattaya Mail reports, building trust with potential victims took about 15–30 days. Afterward, the contacts were allegedly offered to install a fake app for buying shares in Chinese pharmaceutical companies. They were then urged to transfer money to bank accounts in China, as stated in a report by the Thai newspaper Khaosod.

It is important to distinguish two points here. The police account describes the alleged scam mechanism but does not yet establish the role of each detainee. And the location of the operation in Pattaya does not mean the alleged victims were in Thailand.

Press reports show a consistent pattern: an online introduction, an attempt to build trust, an investment offer, and a money transfer. Messaging alone does not indicate a crime, but financial requests that appear after a personal connection are a reason to check the other person and the platform they offered separately.

Romance scam in Pattaya: transfers and verifying losses

According to the publication Thairath, the examined bank records of a Chinese bank showed more than 700 transactions totaling 350 million baht. This is the volume of transfers identified in the case materials, not an amount the court has ruled as stolen.

At the same time, the Thai newspaper Khaosod cites a preliminary estimate of possible damage up to 300 million baht. As of November 2026, this figure was still being verified, so it cannot be considered final. In other words, the total of transfers and the alleged financial losses are different measures.

The difference between these estimates is fundamental. Transaction records show money movement but do not automatically determine which transfers are linked to alleged victims or what their actual losses amount to. Until the investigation is complete, preliminary estimates should not be treated as final conclusions.

According to initial reports from the outlet The Thaiger, the number of possible victims was about 100 people, mostly widows in China. These figures also still need confirmation. Separately, the local outlet The Pattaya News reports that the alleged leader, named Guan and 37 years old, was not among those detained.

What to do

If a new online acquaintance offers investments, do not install the app from a link they send you and do not transfer money to the accounts they specify. Check the platform independently of the person you are talking to, and if you are pressured to make an urgent transfer, stop communicating. These are general digital safety precautions, not special legal requirements for tourists. Long private correspondence alone does not confirm that a financial offer is reliable. It is better to check the app and the payment recipient without the involvement of the person asking you to send money.

For travelers, also useful are safety tips for Pattaya · RU. If you notice suspicious activity, you can contact the tourist police by phone at 1155. According to the official Thai government page on contacting the tourist police, this phone line is available 24/7 and in several languages.

If money has already been sent, contact your bank immediately and keep the correspondence, recipient details, and transfer confirmations. Also useful is the article on emergency help in Thailand. The tourist police number is meant for reporting suspicious situations, but it does not mean funds will be returned automatically.

The circumstances of the criminal case and the procedural status of the detainees may be clarified. Check new information against official statements, as the conditions for seeking help may also change.