NASTY TWIST TO SCAM TALES; KNIFE IN THE BACK; NASTY TOM

A scam artist in Loei province, who unbeknown to his latest victim had eight arrest warrants against his name, wasted no time in declaring his love for her.

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Watchalaporn (no surname given), 32, from Loei, was duped through a dating page by a man identified as Thawatchai (no surname given), 41, from Sa Kaeo province.

After meeting him online, he came to her house just a day later on Sept 19, professing love and promising marriage.

Over several weeks, he convinced her to let him borrow vehicles - two pickup trucks and a motorcycle- under various pretexts, including business investment trips and cash withdrawals.

By Oct 15, he had vanished with all three vehicles, valued at more than 1.2 million baht. Investigations revealed he has eight previous fraud warrants for similar scams.

Recounting the saga, Watchalaporn, who lives in Wang Saphung district, admitted they chatted for a single day before he professed his love and drove across several provinces to meet her in person.

"He said he wanted to live with me and build a life together," she recalled. Believing she had found someone sincere, she let him move in.

The promises came thick and fast. Within days, the man was talking about marriage. Her elder sister, 34, said he even ordered gravel to pave the yard - "so the wedding guests wouldn't trip," he joked.

The family took it as a good sign. But the dream soured quickly.

Soon after settling in, the man asked to borrow two vehicles - a motorcycle and a pickup truck - saying he wanted to change the tyres.

First, on Oct 10, he asked to borrow the motorcycle, a blue Honda Wave 125. Later that night he phoned, asking to be picked up in Wang Saphung town, claiming the repairs were not finished.

Two days later, he lured the family into another errand - a trip to Sakon Nakhon to "collect money" from someone who owed his mother.

They drove there in a grey Toyota Revo pickup. At a market, he told them to wait while he fetched the cash.