Teen Rescued After Fleeing Cambodian Scam Gang

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

An 18-year-old man from Chiang Rai was rescued by Thai soldiers after nearly drowning while fleeing across a canal from Cambodia into Sa Kaeo province. The teenager said he had been tricked into working for an online gambling network in Poipet, where his eight bank accounts were used for illegal money transfers before being frozen. He was later abandoned by the gang and left to find his way back to Thailand on foot.

The incident occurred on October 20, when Colonel Chainarong Kasi, commander of the Aranyaprathet Special Task Force under the Burapha Force, ordered troops from Ranger Company 1304 to intensify patrols near Ban Mai Khok Sabaeng in Tha Kham subdistrict, Aranyaprathet district. During the operation, they found Paradon, an 18-year-old from Chiang Rai, attempting to swim across the canal. Startled by the sight of soldiers, he began to panic and drown, but officers quickly jumped in with life jackets and pulled him to safety before taking him into custody.

In his statement, Paradon said he had responded to a Facebook job post offering a salary of 20,000 baht a month to work as an online administrator for a gambling site in Poipet. Before travelling, he was instructed by a recruiter known as “Look Moo” to open eight accounts, both bank and G-wallet, to receive salary and bonuses. However, upon arrival in Cambodia, his identification card, bank books and mobile phone were confiscated under the pretext of “adjusting transfer limits.”

He was then confined in an office where he was made to process financial transactions and facial scans for money transfers. Eventually, all eight accounts were frozen by Thai authorities, rendering them unusable. When the gang realised this, they abandoned him by the roadside. With no possessions or documents, he contacted the Thai Overseas Assistance Coordination Centre for help before attempting to cross back into Thailand, where soldiers found and rescued him.

Authorities have transferred Paradon to Khlong Luek Police Station for questioning and further legal processing. Police are investigating whether the syndicate that recruited him is linked to broader human trafficking or cybercrime operations along the Thai-Cambodian border.

Key Takeaways

• An 18-year-old from Chiang Rai was rescued after fleeing a Cambodian scam gang.

• He was duped into opening eight bank accounts used by an online gambling ring.

• Police are investigating links between the gang and regional cybercrime networks.

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Dailynews 2025-10-22