Thai Police Bust Suspected Transnational Call Centre Scam Gang In Hua Hin

[webfact]

Thai police bust suspected transnational call centre scam gang in Hua Hin

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN, Aug 26 – Thailand’s immigration police on Friday arrested 14 suspected members of a transnational call centre banking scam in the seaside town of Hua Hin, allegedly luring victims to transfer money to the gang’s bank account.

The detainees including 10 Taiwanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, one Myanmar national and one Thai woman were apprehended at a home office in Hua Hin, according to immigration police led by Pol Col Atiswit Kamonrat, superintendent of the Immigration Bureau investigation division.

Inspecting the residential office, police found 14 telephones connecting to the Internet, six laptop computers and a tiny closed-circuit television (CCTV) for monitoring situation outside the

house.

Col Atiswit said that the gang leader was identified as Taiwan national known as Mr Zhou, who used a tourist visa to enter the kingdom in June.

The gang leader said that he has worked in Hua Hin for about one month. He rented the house and hired Taiwan and Chinese nationals to make phone calls from Thailand to deceive residents in China and in Taiwan to transfer money to the gang's account.

The staff members received salaries plus commission from the transferred money.

According to police, Mr Zhou sets a target to lure the victims to transfer at least Bt500,000 (over US$16,600) a month. However, he did not reveal details or how much money the gang had received from the victims (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-08-26

[Boater]

so who tiped them off?

[apalink_thailand]

I guess they missed their monthly BIB payment. Oops.

[khaowong1]

What's that old saying... you can fool some of the people all the time, all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time. Or the other good one; there's a sucker born every minute.

[inhuahin]

What? No Farangs? That makes a change!

[pete66]

Why comes to Thailand to do this? 10 out of 14 were Taiwanese .... surely the weather in Hua Hin isn't that amazing??? (Not that they got to see the weather probably)

[saroq]

Why comes to Thailand to do this? 10 out of 14 were Taiwanese .... surely the weather in Hua Hin isn't that amazing??? (Not that they got to see the weather probably)

I think that previous posts about this type of scam indicated that Thailand does not have any laws that specifically deal with this issue thus this scam is has a relatively low rick if done in Thailand. I could be wrong but I think this was stated before that the only thing they can be charged with is working without the correct visa.

[challenger99]

What? No Farangs? That makes a change!

clear for me, Taiwanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, one Myanmar they aren't FARANGS only western people? I was thinking all what come from abroad are FARANGS? :jap:

[blackthorn2005]

Why comes to Thailand to do this? 10 out of 14 were Taiwanese .... surely the weather in Hua Hin isn't that amazing??? (Not that they got to see the weather probably)

I think that previous posts about this type of scam indicated that Thailand does not have any laws that specifically deal with this issue thus this scam is has a relatively low rick if done in Thailand. I could be wrong but I think this was stated before that the only thing they can be charged with is working without the correct visa.

Additionally the 'Law Enforcers' here are probably more 'flexible'.

[skorchio]

What? No Farangs? That makes a change!

clear for me, Taiwanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, one Myanmar they aren't FARANGS only western people? I was thinking all what come from abroad are FARANGS? :jap:

The word Farang refers to a white foreigner. Black folk for example are not Farang, and neither are Chinese ppl.

[whitejaguar]

Kind of embarrassing that the thai immigration police show off like this catching these stupid "banking scam". these 500.000 baht is a laugh again what the hua hin immigration police collect with there bribery scam. Some foreigners are forced to pay over 20.000 baht to get there visa processed. I estimate that the office in HH collect the same amount as the banking scam, but with the difference that they collect it in just one DAY!! Now who is arresting these people??????? kap!

[HardenedSoul]

What? No Farangs? That makes a change!

clear for me, Taiwanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, one Myanmar they aren't FARANGS only western people? I was thinking all what come from abroad are FARANGS? :jap:

The word Farang refers to a white foreigner. Black folk for example are not Farang, and neither are Chinese ppl.

I was given to understand that the term "farang" refers to anyone who isn't Thai.

Hence the terms "falang cow" for white folks and "falang dum" for black people

[hhfarang]

Kind of embarrassing that the thai immigration police show off like this catching these stupid "banking scam". these 500.000 baht is a laugh again what the hua hin immigration police collect with there bribery scam. Some foreigners are forced to pay over 20.000 baht to get there visa processed. I estimate that the office in HH collect the same amount as the banking scam, but with the difference that they collect it in just one DAY!! Now who is arresting these people???????Posted Image kap!

I find that hard to believe. I've done my annual retirement visa extensions at Hua Hin Immigration, ever since they opened an office here (7 years?) and they have always been polite, honest, efficient, and friendly with me at no cost other than the posted fees. I did my annual extension yesterday and was in and out in 30 minutes working with a very nice officer. If someone is giving them excessive bribes, it must be for something they cannot get legally. If you're legal, all your paperwork is correct and you are truthful with them, there is no hassle and no bribery necessary forced or unforced.

[plumeria]

What? No Farangs? That makes a change!

clear for me, Taiwanese nationals, two Chinese nationals, one Myanmar they aren't FARANGS only western people? I was thinking all what come from abroad are FARANGS? :jap:

The word Farang refers to a white foreigner. Black folk for example are not Farang, and neither are Chinese ppl.

I was given to understand that the term "farang" refers to anyone who isn't Thai.

Hence the terms "falang cow" for white folks and "falang dum" for black people

Well, I think you are kind of right but I actually don't ever recall hearing any Thai being so polite as to refer to a black foreigner that way.

[plumeria]

Kind of embarrassing that the thai immigration police show off like this catching these stupid "banking scam". these 500.000 baht is a laugh again what the hua hin immigration police collect with there bribery scam. Some foreigners are forced to pay over 20.000 baht to get there visa processed. I estimate that the office in HH collect the same amount as the banking scam, but with the difference that they collect it in just one DAY!! Now who is arresting these people???????Posted Image kap!

I find that hard to believe. I've done my annual retirement visa extensions at Hua Hin Immigration, ever since they opened an office here (7 years?) and they have always been polite, honest, efficient, and friendly with me at no cost other than the posted fees. I did my annual extension yesterday and was in and out in 30 minutes working with a very nice officer. If someone is giving them excessive bribes, it must be for something they cannot get legally. If you're legal, all your paperwork is correct and you are truthful with them, there is no hassle and no bribery necessary forced or unforced.

Yes, it sounds like unsubstantiated rumor. I prepared my application carefully, jumped through all the hoops and in the end paid the Baht 25 fee for my permanent residence. So I hear these stories and accusations and I've had some interesting encounters with some immigration officials but in 38 years none of them has ever asked for nor hinted at any payment other than the posted, official fee paid at the window and with receipt for said amount given.

Sometimes things have not gone my way but I must admit that almost all Thai Immigration officials I have dealt with spoke my language quite well, were straightforward, generally helpful, always polite, properly dressed, reasonably swift in doing the exercise, and generally one of the better aspects of living in Thailand despite their various requirements for being here.

Oh, yeah. I should probably mention that I also did NOT use any influential friends or Thai contacts. Just went through ordinary channels and the standard process.