Two Phuket Men Arrested for Posing as Police to Extort Foreigners with Fake Donation Scheme
Police have arrested two Thai men for allegedly impersonating police officers and extorting money from foreign residents and tourists in Phuket through a fake donation campaign claiming to support police and soldiers stationed along the Thailand–Cambodia border.
Officers from Chalong Police Station announced the arrests on their official Facebook page on December 29. The suspects, identified as Pariphat and Suriya, were accused of targeting foreigners staying in the Rawai area.
According to police, the pair approached several properties occupied by foreign nationals and demanded money while claiming to collect donations for police and military personnel at the border. Investigators said the donations were not voluntary, with the suspects allegedly setting a minimum amount of 5,000 baht.
Police released CCTV footage from a house where one of the victims, a German family, was staying. The video shows the suspects arriving in a white SUV and speaking with the foreign residents. In the footage, one of the men introduces himself as a senior police officer, referring to himself as a “big boss,” before requesting a donation.
It remains unclear whether the German family handed over any money. Police have not disclosed how many victims were targeted or the total amount allegedly extorted.
Investigators said the suspects used the same tactic at multiple homes in the Rawai area, deceiving foreign residents into paying money through the counterfeit donation scheme.
Both men were charged with fraud by impersonating another person. Under Section 342 of the Criminal Code, the offence carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.
Chalong police also reiterated their strict “No Gift Policy,” stressing that police officers do not accept donations, gifts, or personal benefits of any kind while performing their duties, in line with Royal Thai Police regulations.
