Thai Rangers Arrest Nine Fleeing Poipet Scam Gangs

Thai border rangers in Sa Kaeo have arrested nine Thai nationals attempting to cross illegally from Cambodia after fleeing a crackdown on Chinese-run call centre scam operations in Poipet.

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The arrests took place on 16 May 2026 during intensified patrols by Burapha Task Force units and the 12th Ranger Regiment Task Force along the Thai-Cambodian border. Authorities said the group had been abandoned by Chinese operators after Cambodian authorities launched a major campaign against scam compounds in Poipet.

At around 08.00, soldiers from Ranger Company 1202 and intelligence teams from Burapha Task Force detained five Thai men near Ban Pa Rai Mai village in Aranyaprathet district. The men, from Surin, Saraburi, Surat Thani and Phetchabun provinces, were found crossing on foot without travel documents.

During questioning, the group admitted travelling illegally to work for Chinese call centre gangs in Poipet. They said their role involved renting out bank accounts, known in Thailand as “mule accounts”, and repeatedly scanning their faces to verify transactions.

The suspects told officers that Cambodian authorities had intensified operations against scam syndicates in the border town, prompting Chinese employers to shut down offices, take the money and flee. Left stranded, the men attempted to return to Thailand on foot before being caught.

Thirty minutes later, at 08.30, soldiers from Ranger Company 1201 arrested another four Thai nationals, two men and two women, while they were climbing a border wall behind Rong Kluea Market in Aranyaprathet. The group came from Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima and Samut Songkhram provinces.

The four claimed they had been deceived or pressured into working online for Chinese-operated scam gangs in Poipet. According to investigators, they worked as romance scammers, posing as online partners in schemes designed to trick Thai victims into transferring money.

The suspects said their office had also been shut down as Cambodian authorities expanded enforcement operations against scam compounds. With no alternative arrangements, they attempted to scale the border wall and re-enter Thailand illegally.

Naewna reported that Thai authorities have stepped up border security measures in response to increased cross-border criminal activity linked to online fraud networks operating in neighbouring Cambodia. The nine suspects were taken into custody for further legal proceedings and investigation into their involvement with scam operations.

Picture courtesy of Naewna

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Naewna 17 May 2026