‘Tum the Architect’ in police net for alleged fraud and extortion

Bangkok police on Thursday (Jan 2) arrested Thammasak, also known as "Tum the Architect”, on charges of committing fraud and extortion.

The 39-year-old was arrested at 8.40pm under two warrants: one from the Min Buri Criminal Court for extortion and another from the Buri Ram Provincial Court for fraud.

Police said their investigation revealed Tum’s extensive criminal activities, spanning multiple provinces since 2022. He allegedly targeted young individuals, primarily students, in Buri Ram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and other provinces. Police estimate that at least 500 people were Tum’s victims. They said the suspect, a self-proclaimed architect, committed extortion nearly every day, using the proceeds for online gambling.

Tum’s scheme allegedly involved approaching victims, often at public places, feigning distress. He would approach his victims claiming to be an architect, typically claiming to have been involved in a motorcycle accident, recently discharged from the hospital, and unable to contact relatives. To build trust, he showed his ID card and exchanged Line contacts, assuring victims he was neither a beggar nor mentally unstable. He then almost coerced the victims into giving him money, often ranging from a few hundred to a thousand baht.

Recently Tum further refined his methods by pretending to keep his hand in his pocket to create the illusion of being armed, instilling fear in victims. On a single day, three students at a university in Lat Krabang fell prey to his deception. 

His latest offence reportedly occurred on January 2, when he extorted 800 baht from a student on Phya Thai Road. He later spent the money on online gambling before being arrested near Chatuchak Park.

The police’s breakthrough came after a student reported being extorted of 200 baht by Tum while traveling by train in the eastern region. 

The police immediately pursued the lead, but it took five days of relentless tracking. The suspect re-entered Bangkok and vanished into a well-known university in the Ramkhamhaeng area.

Police disguised themselves as students to search for the suspect. Eventually, the suspect extorted money from another victim near the road in front of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Investigation Division. Police tracked him until they found the suspect sleeping by the roadside near Chatuchak Park, where they arrested him.

Tum denied the charges, claiming, “I wasn’t extorting anyone; I was simply asking for money. I’ve been doing this since 2022 because I couldn’t find a job.” He admitted to preferring TrueMoney transfers as they facilitated his online gambling.

Authorities have urged victims of Tum to report information via the Metropolitan Police Investigation Division’s IDMB page, where officers are available 24/7. While these cases may not be classified as serious crimes, addressing public concerns remains a priority under the directive of National Police chief Pol General Kittirat Phanphet, the officials said.