Thai lady and her Chinese boyfriend held for unlawful detention by nine Asian Vietnamese.
PUBLISHED: 26 Sep 2024 at 17: 16
A Thai woman and a Chinese man were unlawfully detained in Bangkok by nine Vietnamese men on suspicion of physically assaulting them and oblivious to their demands to pay 1.7 million baht in exchange for the purchase of cryptocurrency.
According to Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nutchanart, deputy chief of the Immigration Bureau ( IB ), immigration officers launched an investigation after learning that a group of foreign nationals had detained a couple over an unpaid debt.
The Thai person was identified as Suchada, 33, and the Chinese man as Li, 21. No nicknames were given.
The defendants were Taiwanese citizens who operated a Thai online currency trading company, according to investigators. In Chatuchak’s Chankasem neighborhood, they stayed in a residence called Lat Phao Soi 41.
Some people were staying there and acting suspiciously, according to immigration officers who were monitoring the actions of those inside the home. Some of the gentlemen entered a vehicle on Wednesday to leave the house while wearing false license plates. The officers next led them to a inventory in Suphan Buri state.
Later that night, the vehicle drove out of the inventory and drove back to Lat Phrao Soi 41 to visit the home. A gentleman and a girl were both removed from the vehicle.
The IB learned from Chinese officials in Bangkok that Mr. Li’s father had called the Chinese community and requested that they send him money after filing a statement with the authorities in New Taipei.
Mr. Li allegedly informed his father that a group of Taiwanese people were threatening to kill him because they had been detained and literally assaulted him. The immigration authorities therefore requested court permission to search the home.
Mr Suchada and Mr Li were discovered by officers in a place inside the home. Nine Asian people were arrested, said Pol Maj Gen Phanthana. A Smith &, Wesson pistol, 33 shells of guns and two vehicles were even seized.
After a Taiwanese gang had them detained without authorization by a Thai woman and her Chinese boyfriend, they were later rescued at a Bangkok home. ( Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham )
During doubting, Ms Suchada said she was Mr Li’s girl. Mr. Li wanted to purchase about 1.7 million baht worth of Tether electronic money, known as the USDT because it is linked to the US money, and a Thai seller took the few there.
The couple discussed the buy and eventually met a man later identified as Pham Ngoc. The Vietnamese men transferred 50, 000 USDT ( 16.3 million baht ) to a digital wallet provided by Mr Li. The Chinese man, however, did not send the crew any money in Thai money.
Mr. Li worked for a different person who was only identified as Artong. After receiving the money exchange, Artong could not be contacted, said Pol Maj Gen Phanthana.
The Taiwanese men were forced to prosecute Mr. Li and Ms. Suchada because of this. They used a steel stick to beat the Japanese man and tied a cable around his neck. Additionally, they threatened to use scissors to remove his hands. He claimed that if he did n’t pay back the money, they would beat him in the head with a gun and threatened to kill him.
Immigration authorities revoked the nine Vietnamese’s be permits and seized the weapons and vehicles from them. The defendants were taken to the Phahon Yothin officers station for investigation.
The nine were identified as Pham Van, 40, his lieutenant Pham Ngoc, 37, Nguyen Xuan, 49, Ngoc Phap, 34, Nguyen Ngoc, 41, Nguyen Thanh, 33, Tran Vu, 41, Ngoc Tu, 35, and Nguyen Hou, 40.