A pensioner in central Thailand narrowly avoided losing his life savings in a 1 million baht scam thanks to quick-thinking bank staff who spotted suspicious behavior and alerted authorities. The incident unfolded on the afternoon of September 18 in Chachoengsao Province, leading to the swift arrest of a 57-year-old suspect.
Police identified the suspect only as Tor, a resident of Sisaket Province. According to officers, Tor had accompanied 71-year-old Samak from Tha Takiap to several branches of Krungthai Bank. The two men first visited the Tha Takiap branch, where Tor claimed that Samak’s old bank passbook had been lost. Using the newly issued passbook, they then began withdrawing large amounts of cash.
The withdrawals quickly raised red flags among bank employees. At a department store branch, 300,000 baht was withdrawn. Shortly afterward, at the Provincial Hall branch in Chachoengsao City, another 700,000 baht was requested. The combined total amounted to Samak’s full savings of 1 million baht.
Staff members noticed the unusual pattern of transactions and began coordinating with other branches. Suspicion deepened when employees followed the pair outside and saw only Samak, confused and alone, while Tor was seen walking quickly toward a waiting car with the money in hand.
At around 3:30 p.m., officers from Chachoengsao City Police Station, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ekkapop Sakulsayamphu, rushed to the scene. With assistance from local volunteers, they intercepted the vehicle before it could leave. Inside, they discovered the withdrawn money: 300,000 baht packed in envelopes and 700,000 baht in banknotes.
A further search of the vehicle uncovered multiple mobile phones, including one belonging to Samak, as well as a handwritten note. The note listed several names and bank account numbers, each annotated with instructions to transfer 990,000 baht. Investigators believe this may point to a broader network or scheme beyond a single attempted theft.
When questioned by police, Samak initially insisted that he was withdrawing the money to give to his grandson. Later, however, he admitted that Tor was not related to him and was someone he had only recently met. For his part, Tor claimed he had been invited by Samak to “help” with the bank transactions and denied any wrongdoing.
At 4:30 p.m., Samak’s son-in-law, 51-year-old Sapphawi, arrived at the police station after hearing of the incident. He told officers he suspected his father-in-law had been lured away under false pretenses. He also clarified that the 1 million baht belonged to Samak’s late wife, whose savings account had been transferred into Samak’s name following her death. According to the son-in-law, the passbook had remained untouched for some time until Tor allegedly convinced Samak to withdraw the funds.
The attempted scam has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of elderly citizens to financial exploitation in Thailand. Cases of fraudsters befriending or deceiving pensioners are not uncommon, often resulting in the loss of lifelong savings. In this case, the vigilance of the Krungthai Bank staff likely prevented the 71-year-old from being left destitute.
Police say the investigation is ongoing. They are now examining whether Tor was acting alone or as part of a larger criminal operation, given the evidence recovered from his vehicle. Authorities also intend to question the individuals whose names appeared on the suspicious note.
For now, Tor remains in custody while Samak has been reunited with his family. Officers commended the quick action of the bank staff, whose attention to detail stopped the fraud before the money could disappear.
