Taking advantage of rising gold prices, two men went around pawning "fake gold" but were eventually caught. They admitted to 16 transactions, earning 8 million baht. Police are preparing to expand the investigation to arrest the mastermind.
On 15 Dec 2025 GMT+7, Pol. Col. Chinawat Srisawat, Deputy Commander of Khon Kaen Provincial Police, along with Pol. Col. Yosawat Kaewsuebtanin, Chief of Muang Khon Kaen Police Station, and officers from the investigation and suppression units jointly held a press conference announcing the arrest of Wuttirot, also known as Sapparot Chaiboonkrong, 35, and Weeraphat (Sam) Apirojanan, 40, with evidence including five pieces of fake gold jewelry, 550,000 baht in cash, and a white sedan with license plate 6 ขธ-7611 from Bangkok.
The Deputy Commander of Khon Kaen Provincial Police said that as gold prices rose, criminals took advantage by pawning fake gold at stores. Unlike outright sales, where gold is carefully checked, pawned gold is not scratched to avoid damaging customers' items.
Recently, a gold store in Khon Kaen City was pawned with a 10-baht weight braided pattern fake gold piece. After about three months without renewing the interest or redeeming it, the store alerted a network of gold shops to warn them.
Later, the same man returned to pawn the same weight and pattern gold again. The gold shop notified police to investigate and arrest. On 14 Dec, police received a report from a gold shop in Sila Subdistrict, Muang Khon Kaen, that someone pawned a 10-baht braided gold necklace. The shop offered 550,000 baht but found it was fake, made of silver coated with 96.5% gold, and asked police to arrest the suspect.
Upon receiving the report, police from Muang Khon Kaen Police Station went to the shop and found Weeraphat sitting inside, confirmed as the one who pawned the fake gold. They also found the white sedan with license plate 6 ขธ-7611 from Bangkok with Wuttirot inside. A urine test on Weeraphat showed a positive result for methamphetamine use, which he admitted to. Police charged him with drug offenses and found an e-cigarette on Wuttirot, leading to customs-related charges.
Pol. Col. Yosawat Kaewsuebtanin added that during interrogation, Weeraphat admitted to pawning the 10-baht gold necklace at the shop, with Wuttirot also involved.
Further investigation revealed the two had pawned 10-baht fake gold jewelry 16 times since Nov 2025 GMT+7, at six shops in Khon Kaen City, four in Udon Thani, three in Sakon Nakhon, and four in Bangkok and its vicinity, earning about 8 million baht.
All actions were under instructions from a man using the Telegram account named Jinbae or 'Boss.' The boss ordered delivery of 10 pieces of 10-baht gold jewelry each time, then directed them to pawn the pieces at designated gold shops via location sharing. Wuttirot collected the gold from the boss's men and handed it to Weeraphat to pawn.
After completing the tasks, Weeraphat received 20,000 baht per job, and Wuttirot got 6,000 baht. After paying them, Wuttirot brought the remaining cash to Bangkok, where a motorcycle taxi collected it for the boss. Both suspects were charged with conspiracy to commit fraud.
The Muang Khon Kaen investigation team will continue to track down accomplices involved in the fake gold pawning ring operating across multiple Northeastern provinces. They also advised gold shops to be vigilant about 10-baht gold jewelry resembling the fake pieces and to report any losses to police for legal action.
Additionally, Wuttirot was found with one disposable Gues Banbo brand e-cigarette inside the vehicle, leading to charges of concealing, distributing, or possessing goods unlawfully imported under Section 246, paragraph one of the Customs Act 2017, with evidence seized.
Meanwhile, Weeraphat was charged with methamphetamine (ice) use and possession after police found 0.26 grams of ice inside a clothing bag in the car. Both were then handed over to Muang Khon Kaen Police investigators to proceed with legal action.