BANGKOK — A 59-year-old Chinese man, fleeing a fraud case in China involving over 50 million baht or 1.5 million dollars, has been living in Thailand for more than 14 years using a Thai ID card and a Thai name. However, he was discovered by immigration officers during an investigation.
Police Major General Phanthananutnart, Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, stated that detectives from the 4th Division, Investigation Sub-Division, Immigration Bureau, discovered that Mr. Yu, a Chinese national, was using a Thai ID card under the name Yongyuth. They sent a letter to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Thailand to inquire about Mr. Yu’s personal information, identity, and criminal history.
The immigration investigation team found that he had a criminal record for fraud in China 14 years ago. He had opened a hotel business and deceived victims into investing, causing damages worth over 50 million baht or 10.5 million yuan before fleeing to Thailand.
The officials then gathered information related to Mr. Yu and sent it to the Department of Provincial Administration for verification. It was found that ‘Yongyuth’ had been living in Thailand for more than 14 years.
The investigation team then obtained a search warrant from the North Bangkok District Court and arrested him at his residence in the Huai Khwang area of Bangkok.
Mr. Yu confessed that he had illegally entered Thailand through a natural border crossing and assumed a Thai identity card in 2010, living in Thailand ever since. The officials charged him with being a foreigner entering and staying in the Kingdom without permission and sent him to the investigating officers at the Immigration Bureau Investigation Division for legal proceedings.
Regarding the offenses of identity theft and using an illegally obtained ID card, the Department of Provincial Administration is considering legal action. At the same time, they have issued an order to remove the suspect’s name Yongyuth from the civil registration system.
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