Chinese Call Center Gang Busted Operating from Resort in Chiang Mai

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Matichon.

 

Authorities have successfully raided a resort in Chiang Mai used by a Chinese call centre gang to carry out fraudulent activities. The operation, conducted by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in collaboration with the Anti-Trafficking Division, uncovered a network involved in scamming Thai citizens.

 

On December 4, at 15:00, Police Major General Nattathorn Praesunthorn, the NBTC’s legal affairs director, and other officials held a press conference regarding the arrest of foreign nationals involved in setting up an illegal call centre operation in Thailand. The investigation revealed that the call centre had moved to Thailand to take advantage of the country’s stable and high-speed internet connection after internet services were disrupted in neighbouring countries.

 

The operation began after police and NBTC officers tracked suspicious activity at a resort in Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai, which had been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the resort had been shut to the public, it was being rented entirely to foreign nationals, and there were frequent comings and goings of people. Investigators noticed unusually high internet usage at the location, which raised further suspicion of call center activities.

 

After coordinating with the NBTC to monitor internet traffic, officers obtained a court warrant to search the resort. The raid resulted in the arrest of nine Chinese nationals and the seizure of telecommunications equipment used in the fraudulent operation.

 

Police found that the gang had been using a local coffee shop’s internet connection to disguise their activities, linking them to a larger network based in Cambodia. The suspects had been running scams targeting Thai citizens, using high-speed internet to make fraudulent calls.

 

Police Major General Tri-Rong Piwpan of the Anti-Trafficking Division emphasised that this operation was part of the ongoing crackdown on call centre gangs, with the aim of protecting citizens and ensuring public safety. The suspects face charges under Section 26 of the Telecommunications Act of 1958, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to 100,000 baht, or both.

 

Authorities urge the public to report any suspicious activities, such as unusually high utility or internet usage, or people entering and exiting seemingly abandoned properties.

 

The authorities are continuing their investigation to trace the masterminds behind the scam and dismantle the entire network.

 

-- 2024-12-05

 

 

[Geoffggi]

Excellent work, now fine & deport the lot of them