A 33-year-old Chinese tourist is facing a permanent ban from Thailand after he was found to have falsely reported a robbery in an attempt to claim a travel insurance payout.
The man, identified as Mr Xiao (name transliterated from Thai), initially said that the robbery occurred on the night of 17 March.
Source: Thairath
According to HK01, he claimed that two men on a motorcycle snatched his brown bag while he was walking along Kamphaeng Din Road in Chiang Mai.
He told police that the bag contained high-value items, including a Sony A7M4 camera, an iPad Pro, a wireless microphone, branded clothes, cash, and his passport.
An investigation by Chiang Mai City Police found inconsistencies in his account.
Officers reviewed extensive CCTV footage from the alleged crime scene and surrounding escape routes.
They found no evidence of the robbery or any individuals matching the description given by Mr Xiao.
Suspicion grew when Mr Xiao became unreachable during the investigation.
Authorities later confirmed through immigration records that he had left Thailand.
Source: Thairath
He boarded a flight to Hong Kong, using the same passport he had reported as stolen.
Police believe the false report was intended to obtain official documentation to support a travel insurance claim for the allegedly lost items.
The case is being treated as an attempt to defraud insurance.
In response, Chiang Mai Police have coordinated with the Chinese Consulate and the Immigration Bureau.
Source: Thairath
They are seeking to blacklist Mr Xiao from entering Thailand permanently.
Authorities said the incident wasted official resources and damaged the city’s reputation.
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Featured image adapted from Thairath.