Picture courtesy of SiamRath

 

Tourist Police in Kanchanaburi have launched a sweeping crackdown on fraudulent online pages scamming tourists into booking fake hotels, restaurants, and resorts. The operation forms part of a nationwide campaign to safeguard the tourism sector and restore trust as Thailand works to revitalise its travel industry.

 

At 13:30 on 25 July, Police Lieutenant General Saksira Phueak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, led a high-level delegation of senior officers in an inspection of Tourist Police Sub-Division 1 in Kanchanaburi. The visit followed government directives to strengthen tourist safety, suppress cybercrime and support tourism-related economic initiatives.

 

The focus of the meeting was the escalating problem of fake Facebook pages and fraudulent websites tricking tourists into transferring payments for non-existent bookings. Some of these scams involved the unauthorised use of hotel and resort names to appear credible.

 

Key points discussed included:

 

• The establishment of the Tourist Safety Operations Centre (ศปทท.)

 

• Support for the “Half-Half Thailand Travel Scheme 2025”, a government stimulus project

 

• A targeted campaign to shut down fraudulent pages luring tourists

 

• Enhanced operations against criminal groups exploiting the tourism industry

 

• Moral and logistical support for frontline Tourist Police officers

 

Senior police officials in attendance included Pol. Col. Yutthapoom Panlaiyanak, Deputy Commander of Tourist Police Region 3; Pol. Col. Praphawin Chaichomloet, Deputy Commander of the same unit; and officers from the Royal Thai Police Headquarters. They were joined by representatives from the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), Kanchanaburi Provincial Tourism Industry Council and local tourism business associations.

 

During the briefing, authorities revealed that over 100 fraudulent pageshad been identified, with at least 40 real hotel names misused in scams targeting unsuspecting travellers. Investigations have led to the arrest of several suspects, while others remain under legal proceedings.

 

Tourist Police urged tourism operators to share information and report incidents to help track and dismantle fraudulent networks. The force has also coordinated with the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau to monitor suspicious activity and seek court approval for arrest warrants against those involved.

 

Pol. Lt. Gen. Saksira stated:

 

“This issue seriously harms Thailand’s tourism image. We’ve received numerous complaints from both business owners and tourists who were duped into transferring money for bogus bookings. These scams must be eradicated, especially as we launch economic stimulus initiatives like the ‘Half-Half Travel’ scheme.”

 

He added that any suspicious activity should be reported immediately via the Tourist Police 24-hour hotline: 1155.

 

The meeting also included a workshop on identifying fake booking pages and staying ahead of evolving scam techniques. Business owners were encouraged to proactively monitor online impersonations and educate customers on verifying genuine platforms.

 

Representatives such as Mr. Phanuwat Sildanchan, President of the Kanchanaburi Tourism Federation, and Ms. Chanphen Anantaphisan, Chair of the Si Sawat Tourism Association, expressed support for the police initiative and pledged to cooperate closely to protect tourists.

 

Officials stress that stamping out digital scams is crucial to ensuring the safety and confidence of both domestic and international travellers.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from SiamRath 2025-07-27

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

We’ve received numerous complaints from both business owners and tourists who were duped into transferring money for bogus bookings

Yeh, I hear of lots of stupid tourists, Thai's and foreigners booking and paying for fake accommodation on Facebook. 

 

A few times I've seen chicks crying at security after finding out they lost their money on fake accommodation.