Shinji Maeda, a 51-year-old Japanese garment exporter, stands defiant as he holds up his formal complaint submitted to the Crime Suppression Division. He’s accusing a shadowy Thai “fixer” of swindling him out of a whopping 300,000 baht, promising—but never delivering—a permanent visa. To add insult to injury, Shinji claims a cybercrime police officer extorted an additional 10,000 baht from him under the guise of helping him recover his money. (Photo supplied by Wassayos Ngamkham)
Maeda’s story reads like an international thriller, full of promises, deception, and dead-ends. Accompanied by social media activist Thamanat Taengtim and his secretary Namtan Phetphatcharaprasit, Maeda filed his complaint on a sticky Wednesday, determined to see some justice. He’s no rookie to the land of smiles; his company has been successfully exporting clothes to Japan from the bustling Bo Bae and Pratunam wholesale markets.
The fraudulent saga began back in 2019 when Maeda first dreamt of settling down in Thailand for the long haul. Seeking professional advice, he consulted his trusted accounting firm. They, in turn, introduced him to an elusive figure known only as Tong. With lavish promises, Tong assured Maeda he could smoothly facilitate the permanent visa process. And so, the first payments were made.
Fast-forward to 2020, COVID-19 had put the world on hold, and Tong was no exception. Tong told Maeda that the pandemic had delayed visa processes, a plausible and seemingly legitimate explanation. However, as the years passed, Tong continued to string Maeda along, asking for more money on the pretext that the application was underway.
In total, Maeda had transferred more than 300,000 baht to Tong over 16 transactions, with amounts ranging between 10,000 and 30,000 baht. The situation seemed ominous early this year, prompting Maeda to consult with a friend. To his horror, it became clear that he had been duped.
Taking swift action, Maeda filed a fraud complaint at Phetkasem police station, pointing the finger at Tong. But the plot thickens. He then sought help from cybercrime police in Muang Thong Thani. A supposed law enforcer suggested Maeda have Tong sign a loan contract to reframe the fraud as a civil issue, which would ostensibly help him recover his money.
Yet, even those tasked with upholding the law weren’t immune to corruption. Maeda was asked for 5,000 baht in “coffee expenses,” a euphemism for a bribe, and another 5,000 baht as a “loan.” Since then, crickets—Maeda hasn’t seen a single baht returned or any case progress for that matter.
The Crime Suppression Division police have now taken up the mantle, vowing to scrutinize the evidence and interview witnesses. As Shinji Maeda waits, he remains cautiously optimistic, hoping this tangled web of deceit will finally unravel to reveal justice.
This is just so heartbreaking. Imagine working hard and then losing everything because of someone else’s greed!
It really sucks. But how can someone be so naive to trust people like that without proper verification?
Naive or desperate. The pandemic has made people vulnerable. Scammers know how to exploit that.
You’re right, Nina. Sometimes desperation clouds judgment. Still, no one deserves to be scammed.
I’ve lived in Thailand for 20 years, and this doesn’t surprise me. Scams are rampant!
Exactly! I’ve heard horror stories from expats. Always makes me wary of trusting locals too quickly.
It’s unfortunate these scams give Thailand a bad name. Most people here are good and honest.
Someone needs to clean up the police department too. Corruption, everywhere you look!
Totally. When the protectors become predators, what’s left? Really sad state of affairs.
Cleaning up corruption in the police? Sounds like an impossible task given their power and influence.
It’s happened in other countries, but it takes a lot of political will and public pressure.
Why didn’t Maeda just go through the official channels? Could’ve avoided this mess.
He probably thought the ‘fixer’ could speed things up. Patience is key, but hindsight is 20/20.
Still, losing that much money? Always better to play it safe when in a foreign land.
I’ve been scammed in Thailand before too. Always double-check everything!
Could happen anywhere, though. Corrupt cops and scammers aren’t just a Thailand issue.
Hope Maeda gets his justice! No one should go through this.
Agreed. It’s a matter of principle too. These scammers need to face the consequences.
Story of my life – trusted someone and lost everything. Lesson learned the hard way!
Sorry to hear that, George. How did you recover?
Moved on and became more cautious. Trust is earned, not freely given.
Not fair to paint Thailand with the same brush. We have strict laws against such scams.
Correct, but enforcement is the key issue. Many laws remain on paper.
True, but let’s not forget the good. Tons of expats live happily here without issues.
What a mess! Just goes to show, always verify before handing over money.
I feel for Maeda, but part of me wonders how risky his choices were.
Sometimes seemingly safe choices turn risky due to unforeseen circumstances.
Exactly, Sara. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
We can’t judge Maeda too harshly. His heart was in the right place, even if his actions were misguided.
Sounds like a movie plot. Maybe he should sell his story and make his money back!
Haha, I’d watch that movie. But in all seriousness, hope he gets justice.
Such bravery to stand up against corruption. Wish more people had his guts!
These scammers prey on good people. Hope they get what’s coming to them.