‘They will punish you’: Malaysian’s death connected to internet scam in Thailand

The Malaysian parents of Goi Zhen Feng travelled to Thailand in late August 2022 hoping to rescue their son from online scammers, but on September 15 had the grim task of collecting his cremated remains. Investigators said they believe the 23-year-old’s death is among the first to be formally linked to a rising number of scams, often operated by Chinese gangs, that prey on young people across Asia. Goi had travelled to Bangkok in late January saying he was going to meet a girl he had met online. Investigators believe he was caught up in a scam and died from injuries and illness related to abuse he suffered during his ordeal.