Arthur’s SCB account, with about 150,000 baht on it, and the linked card were frozen after he exchanged cryptocurrency for Thai baht for a friend. He thought there was one police case. In fact there were three: at Bang Na police in Bangkok, at the cyber police and at Plai Bang police in Nonthaburi.
Our work took three working days. Seven working days after the last police document, the bank released his money and, to our surprise, even kept the account open, although Arthur is on a DTV visa.
The case at a glance
- Client: Arthur, on a DTV visa, living in Pattaya
- Bank: SCB
- Balance: about 150,000 THB; the linked card was blocked too
- Holds: three police cases: Bang Na (Bangkok), the cyber police, Plai Bang (Nonthaburi)
- Our work: 3 working days: Bang Na police and AMLO; the cyber police; Plai Bang police with the complainant
- Fees for this case (February–March 2026): 3 days × 11,770 THB = 35,310 THB including 7% VAT. The amount returned to the complainant was paid by the client and is not part of our fee.
- Timeline: about 1.5 months from first contact in early February 2026 to the money released
- Settlement: 10,800 THB returned to the complainant (about half of the disputed amount), paid by the client
- Result: all three holds lifted; money released and the account kept open
One case, or so he thought
Arthur found us through our Facebook post for Russian speakers. He had helped a friend exchange cryptocurrency for Thai baht, and soon after that his SCB account, with about 150,000 baht on it, and the linked card were frozen.
Before contacting us, he had travelled from Pattaya to Bang Na police in Bangkok on his own, but he could not reach an agreement with the officer or explain the problem, and the account stayed frozen.
Because Arthur was on a DTV visa, we told him honestly from the start that our priority was to get his money back. In our experience, with a DTV visa banks often release the money but close the account, so we could not promise that the account would stay open.
Stage 1: Bang Na police and AMLO
We agreed on the price before the first meeting and went to Bang Na police together. Arthur gave his statement; Mike interpreted and helped him explain the details of the exchange clearly. The officer said everything was in order, but there was not enough information yet: he also needed a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and asked us to give statements there.
The same day we went to AMLO and gave the statements. After that, Bang Na police confirmed that their hold was lifted.
Two weeks later: the bank still said no
Arthur went home and waited. Two weeks passed and nothing changed. When he went to the bank, he was told that there were other cases on his account and that he had to close them as well.
We contacted the Bang Na officer again. He confirmed that he had lifted his hold and had no more questions. So the remaining holds came from somewhere else.
Stage 2: finding the other cases
Through the 1441 hotline and a visit to the cyber police, Mike found two more cases linked to Arthur’s account. One of them was at the cyber police itself. Mike gave the statement there on Arthur’s behalf, so Arthur did not have to come. The third case was at Plai Bang police in Nonthaburi, next to Bangkok, and the officer asked Arthur to come in person.
Stage 3: Plai Bang police and the complainant
Arthur chose a day, and we went to the police station together. After Arthur’s statement, the officer explained the case: a woman had transferred baht to Arthur, and Arthur had then sent cryptocurrency to another person. Through the officer we called the complainant and agreed to meet the same day.
Our meeting was at 10 a.m., and we waited for her at the station for about three hours. When she arrived, she first asked for the full amount back. Arthur explained that he had sent the cryptocurrency and did not know she was the victim, and we showed all the evidence of the exchange.
There was one weak point. During the exchange Arthur had not checked that the name on the bank transfer matched the name of the person he was trading with, and they did not match. Mike explained that Arthur had little experience with crypto exchange and did not know about this detail.
A compromise and the release document
In the end both sides agreed on a compromise: Arthur returned 10,800 THB, about half of the disputed amount, and the complainant agreed to withdraw her case against him. The same day we received the police document for the release.
The bank: more than we hoped for
Arthur went to the bank to explain the situation, and Mike prepared all the additional documents. Our main goal was to keep the account and get the money back; the minimum goal was at least to get the money back.
Seven working days later the bank lifted the holds, released the money and also kept the account open for Arthur. We had not counted on that.
“…They helped remove the block on my card and account. Knowledge of Thai and communication skills at the highest level… At first the goal was just to get the money back, but in the end the block was lifted and the account still works…”
Arthur, review, October 2026 (translated from Russian)Read the full review
“I want to leave a review. They helped remove the block on my card and account. Knowledge of Thai and communication skills at the highest level. There were several cases at different police stations on one account. Because of this I had to go twice, and then the team went twice more on their own to different authorities. They helped prepare all the necessary documents and passed them to the cyber police. At first the goal was just to get the money back, but in the end the block was lifted and the account still works to this day.”
How we worked with the client
People often ask us how our work looks in practice. In this case:
- Honest expectations first. Before we started, we told Arthur that our priority was his money and that we could not guarantee the bank would keep the account open.
- The price agreed before the first meeting. We worked on a day rate of 11,770 THB including VAT, three working days in total.
- Minimal personal involvement. Arthur came only twice: to Bang Na police and AMLO, and to Plai Bang police. Mike handled the cyber police without him.
- We did not stop at the first release. When the bank kept the hold, we found out why and dealt with every remaining case.
What helped move the case forward
- Finding every case. One release letter was not enough. The 1441 hotline and the cyber police showed the two hidden cases.
- A calm conversation with the complainant. A face-to-face meeting at the station made a compromise possible.
- Evidence of the exchange. Arthur had kept his records, so we could show what had really happened.
- Documents for the bank. After the police, we prepared everything the bank needed to release the money.
If your account has more than one police hold
- A release letter from one police station does not always mean the account is free. Ask your bank whether any other holds remain.
- If the bank mentions other cases, check which police stations they come from, for example through the 1441 hotline or the cyber police.
- In P2P trades, make sure the name on the incoming bank transfer matches the name of your counterparty before you send the crypto.
- Do not exchange money or crypto through your account for other people, even friends.
Read more: What to do in the first 24 hours after your Thai bank account is frozen
This case and other bank cases are also on our dedicated site UnblockThaiBank.com.
Every case is different. The police and the bank make the final decision, and nobody can honestly guarantee the result. We are not a law firm; when a case needs a licensed lawyer, we work with licensed partners. This story is published with the client’s permission, and his personal details are hidden.
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