KANCHANABURI, THAILAND – A routine highway traffic check ended with the arrest of a 20-year-old fugitive wanted in eight fraud cases hidden in a sealed pickup truck.
Highway stop exposes hidden passenger
On 1 January 2026, a patrol on Highway 346 in Tha Maka carried out inspections on orders from senior officers of the Crime Suppression and Highway Police. Officers halted a closed pickup driven by a man identified as Weerawat, who claimed he was transporting personal belongings. Suspicion grew, and a search of the cargo area uncovered not only luggage but two concealed passengers, including 20-year-old Siriwanchai, who was wanted nationwide.
Eight warrants and multimillion-baht damage
A rapid records check showed three active arrest warrants against the suspect, with a total of eight warrants outstanding. Five cases were already before the courts, while three were newly issued, including a warrant from the Surat Thani Juvenile Court dated 14 March 2025. The allegations included public fraud and the input of false computer data causing harm to the public.
Bank account sold for 300 baht
According to the case file, the alleged fraud career began in 2021, when he was still a minor in his home village in Pathum Thani. An older acquaintance reportedly offered him 300 baht to open a bank account in his name, an offer he accepted before the acquaintance disappeared. Investigators later found that this and other accounts in his name had been used by organized scam networks to conduct online fraud worth millions of baht.
Repeated bail and failed escape
After moving to relatives in Nakhon Pathom, the suspect was arrested several times, with five of the eight cases already in judicial processing. Each time, he was released on bail, and this time he allegedly tried to escape by hiding in the locked cargo space of the pickup.
“During questioning he confessed to all charges,”
said police, who immediately transferred him to the Surat Thani Juvenile Court.
Hunt for masterminds and wider network
Authorities stressed that their work was far from over and that dismantling the entire fraud network was now a priority. Investigators aimed to identify the masterminds and track down further victims of the ring, with total damage estimated in the millions of baht. The case illustrated how criminal groups targeted young people with little money to obtain “clean” bank accounts for illicit transactions.
Warning to youths and parents
Officials used the arrest to issue a strong warning that handing over bank accounts or SIM cards was not a trivial matter but serious complicity in crime. They said young people should never be lured by offers of quick cash, as the legal consequences could permanently damage their lives. Parents were urged to inform their children about these risks, with the 20-year-old from Kanchanaburi described as a stark example of how a single reckless decision could destroy a future.