BANGKOK, Thailand – A 40-year-old woman who had been working at a massage shop in Dubai was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport after police discovered she was wanted for allegedly opening a mule bank account used by a call center scam gang. The Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECD) carried out the arrest on July 9, following orders from Pol. Maj. Gen. Thatphum Charuprat, commander of the ECD. Officers from ECD Subdivision 3, in cooperation with Immigration Police Division 2 and Khok Kram Police Station, detained the suspect, identified as Ms. Sasithorn (surname withheld), at the inbound immigration passenger hall on the second floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Samut Prakan. The arrest was made under an arrest warrant issued by Min Buri Criminal Court on October 18, 2024. Police said the suspect had fled to the United Arab Emirates in 2024 after being wanted in connection with a case involving the opening of a bank account allegedly used by a call centre fraud network.
Investigators learned that she was returning to Thailand from Dubai and coordinated with relevant authorities to intercept her upon arrival. During questioning, Sasithorn reportedly admitted to opening the online bank account after being persuaded by a former colleague at a massage shop in 2024. She said the woman told her the account would be used for work purposes and offered her payment of 1,000 baht per month. She said that about three months after opening the account, it was frozen by authorities and she stopped receiving payments. She later travelled to Dubai to work at a massage shop before being arrested upon her return to Thailand.
Police initially charged her with jointly committing fraud by impersonation, public fraud, introducing false information into a computer system that could cause damage to the public, allowing others to use her bank account or electronic payment facilities, conspiracy to commit money laundering and jointly laundering money. Authorities also found that she was wanted under three additional arrest warrants issued by Phrae Provincial Court and Sakon Nakhon Provincial Court for similar offences. Police will coordinate to take further legal action.
