January 10Jan 10 Pictures courtesy of Daily NewsCrime Suppression Division police have dismantled a large mule bank account network, uncovering 70 online fraud cases linked to a single village and losses totalling 21 million baht. More than 30 villagers have been identified as suspects, while four alleged organisers were arrested during coordinated raids across three provinces. Authorities said the operation cut off a major financial pipeline used in technology-related crimes nationwide.The arrests followed search warrants executed at seven locations in Phatthalung, Chiang Mai and Surin provinces on 9 January. Police named the four suspects as Mr Wiphop, 35, Mr Ekkawit, 36, Ms Thanapha, 35, and Ms Phutsadapha, 35. All were charged with arranging, advertising, buying, renting or borrowing bank accounts and electronic cards for use in technology-related criminal offences.According to Pol Maj Gen Phatthanasak Bupphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, investigators traced multiple seemingly unrelated online fraud cases to the same financial routes. Funds from victims across the country were funnelled into bank accounts held by residents of Sri Banphot district in Phatthalung province. This led police to uncover a large-scale mule account operation concentrated in one village, involving more than 30 suspects across 70 cases.Police said the network operated in a structured, hierarchical manner under the direction of a foreign national identified as Mr A-Wen. Thai brokers were allegedly sent into rural areas to recruit villagers, mainly elderly people and people with disabilities. Recruits were promised short-term work as housekeepers at casinos in neighbouring countries, with wages of 10,000 to 20,000 baht for two to three days’ work.Those who agreed were instructed to open at least five bank accounts each, complete with ATM cards, before passports were arranged for cross-border travel. Upon arrival overseas, passports, bank books and personal belongings were confiscated, and the recruits were confined to accommodation. They were later taken to scan their faces to authorise high-value transactions until the accounts were frozen, after which they were sent back to Thailand.Investigators said the mule accounts were used in multiple scam types, including fake online investment platforms and loan fraud. Some suspects admitted recruiting others to open mule accounts but denied involvement in fraud, claiming they had been deceived. Police said financial records, payment slips and digital communications linked the suspects to the ringleaders, and all were detained for further legal proceedings.Daily News reported that authorities said further investigations are under way to pursue remaining suspects and expand cases linked to the network. Police also warned the public not to allow others to use their bank accounts under any circumstances, stressing that such actions carry serious criminal liability.Key Takeaways• Police uncovered 70 fraud cases worth 21 million baht linked to one village in Phatthalung.• Four organisers were arrested in raids across three provinces on 9 January.• Vulnerable villagers were allegedly exploited to supply mule bank accounts for scams.Related storiesPolice-bust-cross-border-mule-account-network-in-Chiang-RaiPolice-arrest-Malaysian-call-scam-cash-mule-in-Hat-Yai Adapted by ASEAN Now from Dailynews 2026-01-10
January 11Jan 11 19 hours ago, Georgealbert said:Pictures courtesy of Daily NewsCrime Suppression Division police have dismantled a large mule bank account network, uncovering 70 online fraud cases linked to a single village and losses totalling 21 million baht. More than 30 villagers have been identified as suspects, while four alleged organisers were arrested during coordinated raids across three provinces. Authorities said the operation cut off a major financial pipeline used in technology-related crimes nationwide.The arrests followed search warrants executed at seven locations in Phatthalung, Chiang Mai and Surin provinces on 9 January. Police named the four suspects as Mr Wiphop, 35, Mr Ekkawit, 36, Ms Thanapha, 35, and Ms Phutsadapha, 35. All were charged with arranging, advertising, buying, renting or borrowing bank accounts and electronic cards for use in technology-related criminal offences.According to Pol Maj Gen Phatthanasak Bupphasuwan, commander of the Crime Suppression Division, investigators traced multiple seemingly unrelated online fraud cases to the same financial routes. Funds from victims across the country were funnelled into bank accounts held by residents of Sri Banphot district in Phatthalung province. This led police to uncover a large-scale mule account operation concentrated in one village, involving more than 30 suspects across 70 cases.Police said the network operated in a structured, hierarchical manner under the direction of a foreign national identified as Mr A-Wen. Thai brokers were allegedly sent into rural areas to recruit villagers, mainly elderly people and people with disabilities. Recruits were promised short-term work as housekeepers at casinos in neighbouring countries, with wages of 10,000 to 20,000 baht for two to three days’ work.Those who agreed were instructed to open at least five bank accounts each, complete with ATM cards, before passports were arranged for cross-border travel. Upon arrival overseas, passports, bank books and personal belongings were confiscated, and the recruits were confined to accommodation. They were later taken to scan their faces to authorise high-value transactions until the accounts were frozen, after which they were sent back to Thailand.Investigators said the mule accounts were used in multiple scam types, including fake online investment platforms and loan fraud. Some suspects admitted recruiting others to open mule accounts but denied involvement in fraud, claiming they had been deceived. Police said financial records, payment slips and digital communications linked the suspects to the ringleaders, and all were detained for further legal proceedings.Daily News reported that authorities said further investigations are under way to pursue remaining suspects and expand cases linked to the network. Police also warned the public not to allow others to use their bank accounts under any circumstances, stressing that such actions carry serious criminal liability.Key Takeaways• Police uncovered 70 fraud cases worth 21 million baht linked to one village in Phatthalung.• Four organisers were arrested in raids across three provinces on 9 January.• Vulnerable villagers were allegedly exploited to supply mule bank accounts for scams.Related storiesPolice-bust-cross-border-mule-account-network-in-Chiang-RaiPolice-arrest-Malaysian-call-scam-cash-mule-in-Hat-Yai Adapted by ASEAN Now from Dailynews 2026-01-10 Thailand has always taken pride in claiming the country has never been colonized. Well, there has been a quiet colonization underway for years. The country’s brain trust would like us to believe they were unaware of Thai proxy business owners, banking institutions “unwittingly” facilitating massive money laundering, the influx of foreign criminals due to questionable immigration activities … and on and on. Money changing hands - now THAT is something we can believe.
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