PATTAYA, THAILAND – A man posing as a fortune-teller was arrested on New Year’s morning in Pattaya after allegedly stealing a 19-year-old woman’s iPhone 13 Pro during a card reading.
Arrest outside temple in South Pattaya
Police said the incident occurred at about 6.06 a.m. on 1 January opposite the Wat Chaimongkol Royal Temple in South Pattaya. Officers from Pattaya City Police Station arrived shortly after an emergency call, by which time rescue workers and bystanders had already detained the 38-year-old suspect, identified as Udomsap. The stolen smartphone belonging to the young woman, referred to as “Ms. Pim”, was found inside a brown shoulder bag carried by the man, hidden in a box containing face masks, along with his fortune-telling tools, which were seized as evidence.
Disguised as elderly man on the pavement
According to the victim’s account, the man had disguised himself as an older person, speaking in an affected, frail voice while sitting on a mat on the pavement opposite the temple. He actively approached passersby and offered card readings, and she agreed to a session out of compassion and a wish to earn merit on New Year’s Day.
“He warned me of impending misfortune, specifically that I would ‘lose a valuable item’,”
said Ms. Pim, victim.
She added that he then tried to persuade her to pay extra for a ritual to ward off this misfortune, which she refused.
Prediction comes true through alleged theft
After the session ended, the young woman noticed that her phone, which had been lying next to her throughout the reading, had suddenly disappeared. The fortune-teller reportedly continued to boast about how accurate his prediction had been and even described the appearance of the supposed thief.
“I became suspicious and asked rescue workers and people nearby for help,”
said Ms. Pim, victim.
Bystanders then searched the man’s bag and found the missing device.
Confession and refusal to drop complaint
Confronted with the discovery of the smartphone, Udomsap confessed, according to police, claiming it was his first theft and that he needed money for New Year expenses. He apologized to the young woman and asked her not to file a complaint, but she insisted on proceeding in order to prevent him from targeting other victims. Officers took the 38-year-old, together with the seized iPhone 13 Pro and the fortune-telling objects, to the police station, where he was placed under investigation on a charge of theft under Thai law.
Belief, fear and an alleged scam
The case highlighted how a moment of trust and a touch of superstition on a holiday morning allegedly turned into an opportunity for a scam. The circumstances raised questions locally about how easily people could be manipulated through fear of bad luck and whether such street fortune-tellers should face stricter oversight in the future.