Three Thai nationals believed to be victims of a call centre scam have escaped captivity in Cambodia and were later apprehended by Thai border patrol officers after a dramatic cross-border return.
The group, consisting of two men and one woman, was intercepted on June 5 by military rangers from the 1201st Ranger Company while attempting to cross back into Thailand near Ban Dong Ngo in Sa Kaeo province. Officers had been conducting intensified patrols along the Thai-Cambodian border between checkpoints A.13 and A.14 following orders to clamp down on illegal crossings and criminal activity.
Authorities spotted the trio behaving suspiciously as they crawled under barbed wire fencing and navigated a deep canal in an apparent attempt to re-enter Thailand undetected. They were detained for questioning after failing to produce passports or any official border documents.
During interrogation, the three individuals claimed they had been trafficked and forced to work in a scam operation in Poipet, Cambodia. According to their statements, they were recruited in January through a Facebook page called “Jobs In Poipet,” where an administrator offered them positions as chat support staff for a relationship-focused online platform.
The victims said they were later coerced into participating in a “fake girlfriend” scam, targeting victims online and persuading them to invest money with promises of high returns. The operation was allegedly controlled by a Chinese group operating in Banteay Meanchey province.
After being transported from Thailand to Cambodia via Aranyaprathet, the group said they were handed over to a network that facilitated their illegal border crossing. Once inside Cambodia, they were taken to a building in Poipet where they began working under strict supervision.
The female victim reported that she had been working under these conditions for several months before being confined to a rented room from May 20 to June 3. This confinement reportedly followed a major crackdown by Cambodian authorities targeting foreign-run scam operations.
According to her account, the Chinese employer moved workers into hiding to avoid detection during the police raids. However, when Cambodian police began closing in on their location on the evening of June 4, the employer allegedly fled, abandoning the workers inside the rented property.
With no support and fearing for their safety, the group sought help from local residents before attempting their escape on foot. Their journey involved crawling under fences and crossing difficult terrain before reaching the Thai border.
Relieved to have survived the ordeal, the three were later handed over to investigators at Khlong Luek Police Station for further legal processing. Authorities confirmed that no outstanding arrest warrants were found against them, but further checks are ongoing.
The case has now expanded into a broader investigation into cross-border scam networks and human trafficking operations. Officials say efforts are underway to identify and prosecute those responsible for recruiting and exploiting victims in such schemes.
The incident highlights the growing threat of organised scam syndicates operating across Southeast Asia, often targeting vulnerable individuals with false job offers and trapping them in illegal operations abroad.https://www.facebook.com/crimeasianews
Photo: Sa Kaeo Public Relations
