Chinese students file police complaint over alleged B10m Bangkok condo scam

A group of Chinese students filed a police complaint in Bangkok on Tuesday, 20 October, alleging that a condominium agent had taken money for rental and purchase arrangements that were not fulfilled as agreed.

The students lodged the complaint at the Crime Suppression Division headquarters. Their lawyer, Preechaya Boonprakong, said about 70 Chinese students had been defrauded of approximately 10 million baht in total, according to the Bangkok Post.

Most of the complainants had made arrangements to rent or buy condominiums in Bangkok’s Ratchadaphisek area. The accounts presented alongside the complaint included a student who said he was told to leave his accommodation because the agent had not paid the owner, and another who said the agent became unreachable after receiving a purchase deposit.

Advance rent followed by moves

One student told reporters he had contacted the agent to arrange a condominium rental for three years while studying for a master’s degree and a doctorate in Thailand. He said he paid 156,000 baht in advance rent.

When he arrived in Thailand, however, the accommodation differed from what he had agreed to, he said. He stayed there for five months before the agent moved him to another condominium, explaining that the original unit had been sold.

After a further five months, the owner of the second condominium told him to leave because the agent was not paying the rent, the student said.

His account centres on a distinction between money paid to an agent and rent reaching the property owner: despite his advance payment, he said he ultimately faced having to leave the replacement unit.

Purchase deposit also disputed

Another student said he had contacted the same agent about buying a condominium for 1.2 million baht. He transferred a deposit of 50,000 baht in February 2025, but said he was subsequently unable to contact the agent.

The two accounts describe different transactions—one involving prepaid accommodation and the other a proposed purchase—but both formed part of the students’ complaint about the agent’s handling of their money.

Lawyer says alleged scheme began in 2024

Preechaya, who accompanied the complainants, said the alleged accommodation scam had been operating since 2024. The estimate of about 70 affected students and 10 million baht in losses was provided by the lawyer.

The complaint brings together allegations concerning both access to rented homes and money paid towards condominium purchases. Those allegations remain the complainants’ accounts, rather than findings established by a court.