Alleged notorious Singaporean hacker arrested in Bangkok

Thai police have arrested an allegedly notorious Singaporean hacker, known globally as Desorden GhostR, in Bangkok. The arrest was carried out with cooperation from Singaporean authorities.

Pol Col Panupat Kittipan, commander of Technology Crime Suppression Subdivision 1, stated that the suspect, identified as Chia, 39, was apprehended at a residence in the Gusto Grand Ramkhamhaeng housing estate on Soi Ramkhamhaeng 159, Saphan Sung district, on Wednesday.

Luxury Items Seized During Arrest

During the raid, police seized a notebook computer, storage devices, and several luxury bags worth an estimated 10 million baht.

Hacker Used X (Formerly Twitter) to Demand Ransom
The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) launched an investigation after receiving complaints from multiple victims in Thailand. The victims reported being intimidated into paying ransoms to a foreign hacker.

According to police, the suspect used an X (formerly Twitter) account linked to the Omid16B Group to post ransom demands. He allegedly claimed to have compromised their computer systems and stolen sensitive customer data. If payments were not made, the hacker threatened to expose the personal information.

International Investigation Led to Arrest

The TCSD sought assistance from the Technology Crime Investigation Branch (TCIB) of the Singapore Police Force. Investigators discovered that the ransom tactics used in Thailand closely resembled those of Desorden GhostR, a hacker who had been under long-term investigation in Singapore.

According to the TCIB, Desorden GhostR was responsible for cyberattacks in multiple countries, selling stolen data on the dark web. After months of coordination between Thai and Singaporean cybercrime units, authorities pinpointed Chia’s location, obtained a search warrant, and carried out the arrest.

Suspect Admits to Hacking Over 70 Companies

Panupat reported that Chia admitted to being the wanted hacker in multiple cybercrime cases in Thailand and abroad. He is suspected of hacking more than 50 firms internationally and 20 companies in Thailand.

Chia allegedly worked alone, selling stolen data for approximately $10,000 per transaction. Among his reported victims in Thailand was the Black Canyon coffee shop chain, whose computer network was compromised late last year.

Hacker Faces Multiple Charges

Following the raid, the TCSD secured an arrest warrant for Chia. He is accused of carrying out a four-year campaign of data breaches, compromising sensitive corporate information, and targeting businesses across multiple countries.

The suspect faces several charges, including:

• Unauthorised access to protected computer systems and data
• Attempted extortion
• Illegal residence in Thailand