A Japanese garment exporter has accused a Thai "fixer" of swindling him out of 300,000 baht with a false promise to help him get a permanent visa.
He also alleges a cybercrime police officer who offered to help had extorted 10,000 baht from him, with no result to show for it.
Shinji Maeda, 51, on Wednesday filed a complaint with Crime Suppression Division police against the alleged swindler. He was accompanied by social media activist Thamanat Taengtim and his secretary Namtan Phetphatcharaprasit.
Mr Maeda's company exports clothes to Japan from wholesale markets in Bo Bae and Pratunam.
He told CSD police the fraud began in 2019. At the time, he wanted to get a visa allowing him to stay permanently in Thailand. He consulted the accounting firm he used for his business and they introduced him to a Thai man he knew only as Tong.
Tong said he could help him get a permanent visa, and he paid him some money. In 2020, Tong advised him there was a delay in applying for the visa due to the spread of Covid-19.
Two years later Tong asked for more money, claiming that his application for a permanent visa was proceeding, Mr Maeda said.
He had made 16 money transfers to Tong’s account, 10,000-30,000 baht each time and totalling more than 300,000 baht. Early this year, he consulted a friend and he believed Tong had taken him to the cleaners.
He then filed a complaint at Phetkasem police station, accusing Tong of fraud.
He later filed a second complaint, with cybercrime police at Muang Thong Thani. A police officer there suggested he should have Tong sign a loan contract. This would move the offence from being a criminal case to a civil case, and he could get his money back, he was told.
The cybercrime officer asked him for 5,000 baht for "coffee expenses" and also borrowed another 5,000 baht from him. Since giving him the money there had still been no progress in the case, the Japanese exporter said.
CSD police said they would examine the accompanying evidence and question the complainant and witnesses.