SRI RACHA, Thailand – A restaurant owner in Bang Phra subdistrict of Sri Racha, Chonburi fell victim to a fraudulent catering reservation scheme. On February 1, Udom Bunkham 55 owner of ‘Pa Restaurant’ on the banks of the Bangpra reservoir shared his story with the media to raise awareness about the scam.
Udom said that he received a phone call from a male customer expressing interest in hosting a company event at his restaurant. The customer requested a specific brand of wine, claiming it was a requirement for the high-ranking executives attending the event. The customer recommended a wine shop that supposedly carried the requested wine.
Believing the customer to be genuine, Udom made two bank transactions totaling 20,000 Baht as a down payment to the wine shop’s account. However, the wine shop called back, requesting an additional 40,000 Baht for the remaining balance. Sensing something was amiss, Udom declined to make further payments and all communication ceased.
Realizing he had been duped, Udom decided to share his experience as a warning to other business owners in the Sri Racha area. He urged them to be cautious of similar fraudulent schemes, particularly those involving large orders and upfront payments. Udom also called on the police to investigate and apprehend the culprits including the recipient of the bank payments.
