CityNews – On Wednesday, March 3 at the Chiang Mai Municipal Police Station, two men were arrested for impersonating army officials and defrauding young men hoping to join the army.
Charnwit Traisathit, 25, from Nakorn Rachasima and Saksit Ngiabjangreed, 30, from Nakorn Sri Thammarat were arrested in a hotel near Tha Pae Gate along with six army uniforms, a 9-millimetre handgun with 22 bullets, a police radio, two notebook computers, three bank books to three separate accounts, and seven fake government issued ID cards.
Police General Thanitsak Theerasawat, Head of Region 5, announced that the two men conned up to 70 people into believing that they had the power to offer them ranks in the army.
For a fee of between 70,000-300,000 baht these faux recruits were taken to Nakron Rachasima for two months to train as soldiers in an army camp and were told that upon their return to Chiang Mai they would receive the rank of an officer of the Royal Thai Army.
Once returned, the date for this official ceremony was moved repeatedly until the victims became suspicious and reported the two men to the police. It is believed that they took over 14 million baht from the 70 victims.
Charnwit and Saksit are being arrested for defrauding the public, possession of arms without permits, carrying of concealed weapons without permit, impersonating armed forces and possession of a police radio without permission.
