Pathum Thani Police Rescue Students Held by Scam Gang

Pictures courtesy of kaoded

Police in Khlong Luang district, Pathum Thani, rescued two university students who were deceived by a scam gang into isolating themselves in hotels after being falsely accused of serious crimes, preventing further financial losses and reuniting them with their families. The operation took place at 1.30pm on 20 January 2026 following complaints filed by concerned parents, prompting an urgent multi-agency response.

Investigators from Khlong Luang Police Station, Pathum Thani Provincial Police and Region 1 Police Command coordinated the rescue under the leadership of Pol Maj Gen Pheerapol Chotikasetthien, Commander of Pathum Thani Provincial Police, and Pol Col Athimet Chaisaranwich, Superintendent of Khlong Luang Police Station. The two victims, identified as Mr Phu and Mr Bich, were first-year students aged 20 who had been targeted by an organised telephone scam.

The gang contacted the students claiming they were implicated in drug offences, money laundering, mule bank accounts and extortion, instructing them to rent hotel rooms, isolate themselves and avoid contacting anyone. Acting on information from parents, police searched hotels, condominiums and resorts across the area before locating Mr Phu in room 207 on the second floor of the Good Morning Hotel, Soi Khlong Luang 25, Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng subdistrict.

Mr Phu’s parents, who travelled to the scene, embraced their son after the rescue. Initial enquiries confirmed that his family had already transferred 25,000 baht to the scammers before police intervened.

At the same time, officers rescued Mr Bich from room 922 at the Sirimantra Hotel on the same road. Mr Bich, a first-year business administration student from Satun, said he was contacted after classes by callers claiming to be AIS staff, alleging his phone number had been used to open accounts linked to online gambling and fraud in Loei province.

The scammers escalated the deception through video calls on Line with individuals posing as police officers and a coordinator named “Kawarin”, attempting to coerce him into extracting 100,000 baht each from his mother, sister and uncle, followed by an additional 300,000 baht. The attempt failed after his mother grew suspicious and alerted police, resulting in no money being transferred.

Kaoded reported that police said similar cases have occurred repeatedly, with call locations traced to neighbouring countries, complicating arrests. Authorities confirmed a third case involving a loss of 1.3 million baht is under investigation and believed to be linked to the same gang.

Key Takeaways

• Two first-year university students were rescued on 20 January 2026 after being deceived by a phone scam gang in Pathum Thani.

• One family transferred 25,000 baht before the rescue, while the second case resulted in no financial loss.

• Police are investigating a third related case involving losses of 1.3 million baht.

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Kaoded 2026-01-22