BANGKOK, March 23, 2025 — Thai immigration police have apprehended a Chinese fugitive, identified as Zhang Wei, in connection with a massive embezzlement case involving 2.4 billion yuan (approximately 11 billion baht or $310 million USD). The arrest took place on March 21 at a luxurious hotel in central Bangkok, where the suspect had been hiding under a false identity.
Police Major General Prachya Prasansuk, Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, revealed that the operation was launched following intelligence reports about a Chinese national potentially violating immigration laws. Using advanced biometric database verification, authorities identified significant facial similarities between Zhang Wei and another individual, Du Nan, who held citizenship in Vanuatu, a small island nation in Oceania. Further investigation confirmed that Zhang Wei and Du Nan were the same person.
Zhang, who had been evading authorities, was wanted in China for embezzling funds from a prominent construction company in Shandong Province, northeastern China. The scale of the fraud, totaling 2.4 billion yuan, has made this one of the largest embezzlement cases pursued by Chinese authorities in recent years. Thai police tracked Zhang’s movements by monitoring accommodation registrations and visa extension applications, a process aided by mandatory registration protocols for foreign residents in Thailand.
The arrest is part of Thailand’s role in international efforts to combat financial crimes. Zhang’s capture at a high-end hotel in Bangkok marks a big breakthrough in the case, which has drawn attention due to the staggering amount of money involved.
Zhang Wei is now in custody, awaiting further legal proceedings, which may include extradition to China to face charges related to the embezzlement. Thai authorities have not released additional details about the suspect’s activities in Bangkok prior to his arrest.
Photo: Stock photo of Thai police.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
