Picture courtesy of Matichon

 

Police have issued a summons for a 23-year-old tour company manager accused of abandoning 170 Muslim pilgrims at Hat Yai International Airport in Songkhla. The group, who had paid large sums to travel to Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage, were left stranded on October 13 after the company suddenly cancelled the trip without notice. The incident caused widespread distress and financial losses amounting to several million baht.

 

According to reports, the pilgrims, many of them civil servants, police officers and teachers, waited for hours at the airport after the tour operator failed to appear. Attempts to contact the company were unsuccessful and it later emerged that the firm’s office in Pattani Province had been closed for several days. Victims said they had paid up to 100,000 baht each, using life savings intended for a once-in-a-lifetime religious journey.

 

One victim, Ms. Kullaya from Pattani, tearfully told reporters that she paid 95,000 baht for a VIP package after being asked for an additional 15,000 baht. “We were deceived,” she said. “We worked hard and saved for years out of faith, only to be left heartbroken.” Many victims have now filed complaints with the Pattani Police Station, where more than 40 affected individuals gathered on October 14.

 

Investigations revealed that the company had not been registered as a licensed travel agency and had no certified guides or religious tour permits. Pattani Provincial Police and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) are now examining financial records and gathering evidence to pursue fraud charges. Officials confirmed that the company’s activities fall under the category of illegal tour operations, often referred to as “fake or underground tour agencies.”

 

On October 15, investigators identified the main suspect as Mr. Rusdee, aged 23, who acted as the company’s manager and sole operator. Police from Tuyong Station in Nong Chik District, Pattani, have issued a summons ordering him to report to investigators by October 18. Further inquiries suggest he also lured local investors into contributing to a supposed travel-related business venture, claiming profits from overseas investments, resulting in estimated losses of 45 million baht.

 

Police sources revealed that Mr. Rusdee had previously posted images online showing stacks of cash worth tens of millions of baht. Authorities are now investigating possible connections between the suspect and other individuals of influence in the region. The latest reports indicate that he left Thailand on October 13, just hours before the planned pilgrimage.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

• Police have summoned a 23-year-old suspect accused of defrauding 170 pilgrims in a fake Umrah tour worth millions of baht.

• The unlicensed company collected up to 100,000 baht per person and left victims stranded at Hat Yai Airport on October 13.

• Investigations are ongoing, with police and DSI pursuing fraud charges as the suspect reportedly fled the country.

 

Related Stories

 

Police-raid-crypto-firm-laundering-billions-for-scam-gangs

 

Two-arrested-for-fake-tea-brand-scam-with-10m-daily-withdrawals

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now From Matichon 2025-10-18

 

 

 

 

 

People on this forum mention many times that Thailand must not be a copy of the Western world, and I agree with that but only a little bit.. These people are scammed by a 23 year old who could open a business, without papers or licenses and no agency or institution will control any business.. There is nothing for the people who are scammed and nobody can check if the tour operator is legal or not... In the Western world there are watch dogs and chambers of commerce that have websites where you can check if a business is reliable or trustworthy. Here in Thailand when you write a negative comment on tripadvisor you will be threatened with defamation.. Yes it is change to Western standards, but for the benefit for the people not to change the culture of the country. Nowadays many more tourists are travelling than 60 years ago, are buying things online than 60 years ago, so things should be able to check before making payments to untrustworthy and fake companies...Protect consumers and it means that independent agencies and institutions are needed, but in Thailand nobody cares about anything.. Money is the only religion that counts and how to get it and how to scam is all allowed until there are claims are made or people like here in trouble... It is called Prevention and it means work, and both works are not in a Thai dictionary.