Bangkok, Thailand – December 9th, 2025– In a major crackdown on transnational cybercrime, Thai authorities arrested 17 foreign nationals, primarily South Koreans with several Chinese members, on charges of operating a sophisticated call center fraud scheme that scammed victims out of approximately 500 million Thai baht (around 20 billion South Korean won).
The operation, conducted on December 8th, 2025, spanned Pattaya in Chonburi Province and central Bangkok, marking a team effort between Thailand’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and South Korean law enforcement.
The raids, dubbed a joint initiative under bilateral agreements to combat cross-border scams, targeted hidden bases in luxury condominiums along Rama 3 Road and in the Lumpini area of Bangkok, as well as a residence in Pattaya. Initial arrests in Pattaya uncovered four South Korean suspects who confessed to relocating their operation from Cambodia amid regional instability and border tensions, prompting an expansion of the probe to the capital. A total of 10 individuals, eight South Koreans and two Chinese, were detained at the Rama 3 site, while three more (two South Koreans and one Chinese) were apprehended in Lumpini, bringing the tally to 17.
The suspects, aged between 27 and 43, face charges under Thailand’s Alien Working Act and Immigration Act for illegal employment and visa overstays, with potential extradition to South Korea pending further investigation.
According to police reports, the gang masqueraded as representatives of the Malaysian resort operator Genting Malaysia to entice victims, exclusively South Korean nationals, into a fraudulent pyramid investment scheme promising high returns. Operating from October 17th, 2024, to May 28th, 2025, scammers used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls to impersonate South Korean prosecutors, threatening victims with bogus legal troubles or fabricated arrest warrants. They coerced payments for “processing fees,” instructed transfers disguised as loans from fake bank officials, and even demanded video verifications involving undressing to heighten intimidation. No Thai victims have been identified in the scheme.
Raiding teams seized over 50 computers, 35 mobile phones and VoIP devices, stacks of scam scripts, counterfeit South Korean prosecutor’s identification cards, forged official documents, and lists of target phone numbers, all hallmarks of a professional fraud setup divided into roughly 20 partitioned rooms per condo, each outfitted like a mini call center. “The rooms were uniformly equipped with desks, communication tools, and high-speed internet for seamless deception,” said Police Colonel Phanu Phat Kittiphan, Deputy Commander of the TCSD, during a press briefing.
All detainees admitted their involvement during on-site interrogations, facilitated by interpreters, revealing they had entered Thailand illegally to evade detection after fleeing Cambodia. Several suspects were already subjects of Interpol Red Notices issued by South Korean authorities, underscoring the operation’s international scope.
The bust highlights deepening police cooperation between Thailand and South Korea, as stated by Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowannasai, Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police: “Thailand and the Republic of Korea have established joint guidelines for investigating and suppressing transnational crimes, particularly call center syndicates that span our borders.” The TCSD has urged the public to remain vigilant against unsolicited investment offers and report suspicious foreign activities, warning that such scams often prey on cultural and linguistic familiarity.
The suspects have been transferred to local stations in Bang Phong Phang and Lumpini for processing, with ongoing forensic analysis of seized evidence. Thai officials anticipate additional arrests as the investigation expands to trace accomplices and recover stolen funds. This raid follows a string of similar takedowns in 2025.
For the original version of this article, please visit The Pattaya News.
