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Bangkok Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Thai police ask Interpol to locate Kok An
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) will ask Interpol to issue a Red Notice for Kok An, the suspected leader of a major Cambodian scam network, whom authorities believe has fled Thailand. The move follows an investigation that identified Kok An as the owner of several properties, which the police believe are being used as bases for scam operations targeting Thai citizens, according to RTP Inspector-General Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, on Thursday. Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said Kok An has also been linked to Crown Casino Resort, a 25-storey building, and an 18-storey building known as Hiso, located in Poipet. The investigation led police to raid 20 locations in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, and Chon Buri on Tuesday, from which they seized assets valued at over 1.1 billion baht, Pol Gen Thatchai said. As the investigation into the scam network is continuing, more arrest warrants are expected to be issued next week. Police are also working to determine if Thai officials were involved in the gang's operations, he added. Since Kok An has already left Thailand, police will ask Interpol to issue a Red Notice in an effort to expedite his capture, Pol Gen Thatchai stated. He declined to confirm whether the suspect has close ties to Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen, as reported by some media outlets. He said only that Kok An is a businessman who has a considerable role in Cambodia's Senate. When asked about the alleged connection between Kok An and a Thai national whom People's Party MP Rangsiman Rome said is the owner of Star Complex Casino in Myawaddy and another casino in Poipet, Pol Gen Thatchai said the police have not found any links between the individuals, but promises to continue to investigate the allegation. In addition to the Red Notice, authorities will also ask Interpol to pressure Cambodia to cooperate in the effort to dismantle transnational crime networks that operate out of Cambodian territory. In related news, Pol Gen Thatchai, in his capacity also as director of both Thailand's Action Taskforce for Information Technology Crime Suppression (Tactics) and the RTP's Anti-Trafficking in Persons Centre, joined representatives from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to unveil a plan to combat call centre scams and human trafficking, which will see a war room set up the end of the month.
South China Morning Post
19-03-2025
- South China Morning Post
Up to 100,000 still work in Myanmar's scam hubs – and not all are victims, Thai police say
Despite a weeks-long multinational crackdown, scam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border are still operating with up to 100,000 people working there, according to the top police general leading Thailand 's operations against the fraud compounds. Advertisement Thailand is fronting a regional effort to dismantle scam centres along its borders, which are part of a Southeast Asian network of illegal facilities that generate billions of US dollars every year, often using people trafficked there by criminal gangs, according to the United Nations Based on early assessments of some of the 5,000 people pulled out of sprawling scam hubs in Myanmar 's Myawaddy area, hundreds went there voluntarily, said Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, calling for careful investigations among nationals of over a dozen countries to winnow out criminals. Thai Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, who leads Thailand's Anti-Human Trafficking Centre and Cyber Taskforce, reacts during an interview at police headquarters in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: Reuters 'Many people use Thailand as a pathway to sneak themselves into Myawaddy to find work, and this is not just the call centre gangs but also online gambling work and other professions,' Thatchai said in an interview. His comments run counter to widespread reports that scam centre workers in and around Myawaddy were victims, lured to go there by criminal bosses. Jason Tower, an analyst with the US Institute of Peace and an expert on regional scam centres, said that many people who willingly travelled to areas such as Myawaddy were trapped in conducting scamming operations. Advertisement 'Many did go in willingly, only discovering that they had been trafficked later,' he said. Several former scam workers describe being trapped in the compounds, where they were forced to trick strangers online into transferring large amounts of money, often pretending to be romantic interests.
Japan Times
18-03-2025
- Japan Times
Scam hubs on Thai-Myanmar border still have up to 100,000 people, Thai police says
Despite a weekslong multinational crackdown, scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border are still operating with up to 100,000 people working there, the top police general leading Thailand's operations against the fraud compounds said. Thailand is fronting a regional effort to dismantle scam centers along its borders, which are part of a Southeast Asian network of illegal facilities that generate billions of dollars every year, often using people trafficked there by criminal gangs, according to the United Nations. Based on early assessments of some of the 5,000 people pulled out of sprawling scam hubs in Myanmar's Myawaddy area, hundreds went there voluntarily, said Police Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, calling for careful investigations among nationals of over a dozen countries to winnow out criminals. "Many people use Thailand as a pathway to sneak themselves into Myawaddy to find work, and this is not just the call center gangs but also online gambling work and other professions," Thatchai said in an interview. His comments run counter to widespread reports that scam center workers in and around Myawaddy were victims, lured to go there by criminal bosses. Jason Tower, an analyst with the U.S. Institute of Peace and an expert on regional scam centers, said that many people who willingly traveled to areas such as Myawaddy were trapped in conducting scamming operations. "Many did go in willingly, only discovering that they had been trafficked later," he said. Several former scam workers describe being trapped in the compounds, where they were forced to trick strangers online into transferring large amounts of money, often pretending to be romantic interests. Police Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot | REUTERS Although these scam centers have operated for years, they came under renewed scrutiny following the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand in January, who was later rescued from Myawaddy. The incident sparked a social media firestorm in China, and Beijing dispatched officials to Thailand to coordinate operations targeted at breaking up scam hubs like Myawaddy and rescuing scores of its citizens, many of whom now have been flown home. "Since the Wang Xing case, there were 3,600 foreigners who traveled Mae Sot, and we did not find one who was tricked or coerced to come," Thatchai said, citing information gathered by police checkpoints set up in the Thai district bordering Myawaddy. Among some 260 people from 20 nationalities who were sent from Myawaddy to Thailand in February as the crackdown gathered steam, most were not coerced, according to initial investigations conducted by Thai authorities, Thatchai said. "These people went there voluntarily," Thatchai said, adding that he is waiting on information from countries including China and India that have repatriated hundreds of their nationals on whether they had been trafficked to scam centers in Myawaddy. Thatchai said the crackdown so far has only affected a fraction of the vast operations in Myawaddy, which lies across a narrow river from the Thai town of Mae Sot. "It could be up to 50,000 or 100,000 people that are still left because we are still seeing their operations," he said, based on Thai police intelligence as well as information gathered by Chinese authorities, who have identified at least 3,700 criminals continuing to operate in the area. Since February, more than 5,200 people have been extricated from scamming facilities in and around Myawaddy, according to Thai police citing Myanmar authorities. Over 3,500 have been sent back to their home countries via Thailand, which has also cut off electricity, internet and fuel supplies to the area. With scam workers hailing from a wide range of countries, Thatchai said he is pushing for a multinational coordination center to repatriate, investigate and share information to prosecute criminals involved in the fraud operations. Suspected criminals extricated from Myawaddy and other scam hubs should be prosecuted in their home countries, and the Thai police are ready to help wherever necessary, Thatchai said. The main focus of Thai authorities currently is to help coordinate the return of scam center victims to their home countries, with thousands of former workers still stuck in limbo on the Thai-Myanmar border, including some who are struggling to find their way back because of a lack of funds. "We have to discharge people as quickly as possible," Thatchai said. "So that the Myanmar authorities and ethnic armed groups can conduct more crackdowns."
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Yahoo
Scam hubs on Thai-Myanmar border still have up to 100,000 people, Thai police says
By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat (Reuters) - Despite a weeks-long multinational crackdown, scam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border are still operating with up to 100,000 people working there, the top police general leading Thailand's operations against the fraud compounds told Reuters. Thailand is fronting a regional effort to dismantle scam centres along its borders, which are part of a Southeast Asian network of illegal facilities that generate billions of dollars every year, often using people trafficked there by criminal gangs, according to the United Nations. Based on early assessments of some of the 5,000 people pulled out of sprawling scam hubs in Myanmar's Myawaddy area, hundreds went there voluntarily, said Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, calling for careful investigations among nationals of over a dozen countries to winnow out criminals. "Many people use Thailand as a pathway to sneak themselves into Myawaddy to find work, and this is not just the call centre gangs but also online gambling work and other professions," Thatchai said in an interview. His comments run counter to widespread reports that scam centre workers in and around Myawaddy were victims, lured to go there by criminal bosses. Jason Tower, an analyst with the U.S. Institute of Peace and an expert on regional scam centres, said that many people who willingly travelled to areas such as Myawaddy were trapped in conducting scamming operations. "Many did go in willingly, only discovering that they had been trafficked later," he said. Several former scam workers describe being trapped in the compounds, where they were forced to trick strangers online into transferring large amounts of money, often pretending to be romantic interests. Although these scam centres have operated for years, they came under renewed scrutiny following the abduction of a Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand in January, who was later rescued from Myawaddy. The incident sparked a social media firestorm in China, and Beijing dispatched officials to Thailand to coordinate operations targeted at breaking up scam hubs like Myawaddy and rescuing scores of its citizens, many of whom now have been flown home. "Since the Wang Xing case, there were 3,600 foreigners who travelled Mae Sot, and we did not find one who was tricked or coerced to come," Thatchai said, citing information gathered by police checkpoints set up in the Thai district bordering Myawaddy. Among some 260 people from 20 nationalities who were sent from Myawaddy to Thailand in February as the crackdown gathered steam, most were not coerced, according to initial investigations conducted by Thai authorities, Thatchai said. "These people went there voluntarily," Thatchai said, adding that he is waiting on information from countries including China and India that have repatriated hundreds of their nationals on whether they had been trafficked to scam centres in Myawaddy. MULTINATIONAL COORDINATION Thatchai said the crackdown so far has only affected a fraction of the vast operations in Myawaddy, which lies across a narrow river from the Thai town of Mae Sot. "It could be up to 50,000 or 100,000 people that are still left because we are still seeing their operations," he said, based on Thai police intelligence as well as information gathered by Chinese authorities, who have identified at least 3,700 criminals continuing to operate in the area. Since February, more than 5,200 people have been extricated from scamming facilities in and around Myawaddy, according to Thai police citing Myanmar authorities. Over 3,500 have been sent back to their home countries via Thailand, which has also cut off electricity, internet and fuel supplies to the area. With scam workers hailing from a wide range of countries, Thatchai said he is pushing for a multinational coordination centre to repatriate, investigate and share information to prosecute criminals involved in the fraud operations. Suspected criminals extricated from Myawaddy and other scam hubs should be prosecuted in their home countries, and the Thai police are ready to help wherever necessary, Thatchai said. The main focus of Thai authorities currently is to help coordinate the return of scam centre victims to their home countries, with thousands of former workers still stuck in limbo on the Thai-Myanmar border, including some who are struggling to find their way back because of a lack of funds. "We have to discharge people as quickly as possible," Thatchai said. "So that the Myanmar authorities and ethnic armed groups can conduct more crackdowns."
Reuters
18-03-2025
- Reuters
Scam hubs on Thai-Myanmar border still have up to 100,000 people, Thai police says
March 18 (Reuters) - Despite a weeks-long multinational crackdown, scam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border are still operating with up to 100,000 people working there, the top police general leading Thailand's operations against the fraud compounds told Reuters. Thailand is fronting a regional effort to dismantle scam centres along its borders, which are part of a Southeast Asian network of illegal facilities that generate billions of dollars every year, often using people trafficked there by criminal gangs, according to the United Nations. Based on early assessments of some of the 5,000 people pulled out of sprawling scam hubs in Myanmar's Myawaddy area, hundreds went there voluntarily, said Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, calling for careful investigations among nationals of over a dozen countries to winnow out criminals. "Many people use Thailand as a pathway to sneak themselves into Myawaddy to find work, and this is not just the call centre gangs but also online gambling work and other professions," Thatchai said in an interview. His comments run counter to widespread reports that scam centre workers in and around Myawaddy were victims, lured to go there by criminal bosses. Jason Tower, an analyst with the U.S. Institute of Peace and an expert on regional scam centres, said that many people who willingly travelled to areas such as Myawaddy were trapped in conducting scamming operations. "Many did go in willingly, only discovering that they had been trafficked later," he said. Several former scam workers describe being trapped in the compounds, where they were forced to trick strangers online into transferring large amounts of money, often pretending to be romantic interests. Although these scam centres have operated for years, they came under renewed scrutiny following the abduction of a Chinese actor Wang Xing in Thailand in January, who was later rescued from Myawaddy. The incident sparked a social media firestorm in China, and Beijing dispatched officials to Thailand to coordinate operations targeted at breaking up scam hubs like Myawaddy and rescuing scores of its citizens, many of whom now have been flown home. "Since the Wang Xing case, there were 3,600 foreigners who travelled Mae Sot, and we did not find one who was tricked or coerced to come," Thatchai said, citing information gathered by police checkpoints set up in the Thai district bordering Myawaddy. Among some 260 people from 20 nationalities who were sent from Myawaddy to Thailand in February as the crackdown gathered steam, most were not coerced, according to initial investigations conducted by Thai authorities, Thatchai said. "These people went there voluntarily," Thatchai said, adding that he is waiting on information from countries including China and India that have repatriated hundreds of their nationals on whether they had been trafficked to scam centres in Myawaddy. MULTINATIONAL COORDINATION Thatchai said the crackdown so far has only affected a fraction of the vast operations in Myawaddy, which lies across a narrow river from the Thai town of Mae Sot. "It could be up to 50,000 or 100,000 people that are still left because we are still seeing their operations," he said, based on Thai police intelligence as well as information gathered by Chinese authorities, who have identified at least 3,700 criminals continuing to operate in the area. Since February, more than 5,200 people have been extricated from scamming facilities in and around Myawaddy, according to Thai police citing Myanmar authorities. Over 3,500 have been sent back to their home countries via Thailand, which has also cut off electricity, internet and fuel supplies to the area. With scam workers hailing from a wide range of countries, Thatchai said he is pushing for a multinational coordination centre to repatriate, investigate and share information to prosecute criminals involved in the fraud operations. Suspected criminals extricated from Myawaddy and other scam hubs should be prosecuted in their home countries, and the Thai police are ready to help wherever necessary, Thatchai said. The main focus of Thai authorities currently is to help coordinate the return of scam centre victims to their home countries, with thousands of former workers still stuck in limbo on the Thai-Myanmar border, including some who are struggling to find their way back because of a lack of funds. "We have to discharge people as quickly as possible," Thatchai said. "So that the Myanmar authorities and ethnic armed groups can conduct more crackdowns."
