Police Report in Thailand: When to File, How to Do It and What Documents to Bring

A scammer took your money, someone used your bank account, or your passport is gone. The first question is always the same: do I need to go to the police, and what happens there if I do not speak Thai?

We regularly go to Thai police stations with clients as interpreters. Below is when a report is needed, the two kinds of report, and what to bring so the officer takes the case seriously.

In short

• File a report: after fraud or an online scam, theft, a lost passport, or when the bank or an insurer asks for one.
• Two kinds of report: a daily record (a note of the incident) and a criminal complaint (a request to investigate and prosecute).
• Act fast: after an online scam, call your bank and 1441 the same day. A fraud complaint generally has to be filed within three months.
• The report is in Thai: do not sign what you do not understand. Ask for it to be read back to you, or bring an interpreter.

When you should make a police report

• Online scams and fraud. Fake rentals, investment scams, fake shops, romance scams. Without a report, the bank cannot keep the scammer’s account on hold for long.
• Theft or a lost passport. Your embassy and your insurer usually need a police record.
• Someone used your identity or your account. A report shows that you were not involved.
• A traffic accident or an assault. Report it at the station that covers the place where it happened.

Daily record or criminal complaint: what is the difference

A daily record (ลงบันทึกประจำวัน) is a note in the station’s log that something happened, for example a lost passport. It does not start a criminal case. A criminal complaint (แจ้งความร้องทุกข์) asks the police to investigate and prosecute. After fraud, this is what you need if you want the police to act.

Many fraud cases are compoundable offences under Thai law. This means the complaint generally has to be filed within three months of the day you learn about the offence and who did it, and the case can end if both sides settle. If you are close to that limit, talk to a licensed lawyer.

How to file a report after an online scam

1. Call your bank and 1441 the same day. 1441 is the Thai hotline for online fraud (AOC 1441). They can help to hold the scammer’s account quickly.
2. File the complaint. Online on the official Thai Police Online website, or in person at a police station. If you do not read Thai, it is often easier to go to the station with an interpreter.
3. Give your statement. The officer writes it in Thai. Check the dates, amounts and names before you sign.
4. Get a copy and the case number. You will need them for the bank, the insurer or your embassy.

Documents to bring

• Your passport and a copy of the photo and visa pages
• Transfer slips and a bank statement that shows the payments
• The scammer’s bank account number, phone number, profile links and usernames
• Screenshots of the chat, the advert or the website, with the dates visible
• A short timeline: what happened, when, and how much you paid

Print the key screenshots. Officers often prefer paper, and a clear timeline saves hours at the station.

If you are on the other side: your account was frozen because of someone’s report

Sometimes the report is made against you: a P2P buyer or a stranger who sent you money files a complaint, and your account gets a police hold. Then you need the opposite: a statement at the station that opened the case, proof of the transaction and a release letter to the bank. How the release letter works

A real case: a settlement at the police station

A client’s account had three police cases after a crypto exchange for a friend. At one station in Nonthaburi we waited about three hours for the complainant, the client agreed to return half of the amount she claimed, and she withdrew the complaint. The bank later released about 150,000 THB. Read the full story

How we can help

We are not a law firm. We go with you to the police station, interpret your statement, help prepare the documents and the timeline in Thai, and follow up with the officer and the bank. For court cases, we work with licensed Thai lawyers.

An interpreter at the police station costs 6,490 THB for half a day or 11,900 THB for a full day, including 7% VAT.

Questions we often hear

Can a foreigner file a police report in Thailand?

Yes. Bring your passport. The report is written in Thai, so bring an interpreter or ask the Tourist Police (1155) for help in English.

Can I file a police report online in Thailand?

Yes, online fraud can be reported on the official Thai Police Online website. Be careful: fake police websites exist. Check the right address through the 1441 hotline or the Royal Thai Police website.

Will I have to go back to the station later?

Often yes. The officer may ask for more documents or a second statement. In one of our cases we went to the same station three times before the release letter was issued.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Police procedures can differ between stations and change over time.