Arrest of Thai Man Forced to Work as Scammer in Cambodia, Assaulted When Refusing, Coerced into Impersonating Police
A 33-year-old Thai man was arrested at the Nong Khai-Laos border after being trafficked to Cambodia where he was tortured and forced to impersonate police in scam operations. He had escaped to Laos seeking legitimate work before being depor
On May 22, 2025, Deputy Commander Theeyaphat Rangsipramanakul of Nong Khai Immigration, along with immigration officials, received custody of 102 Thai nationals suspected of involvement in scamming operations from Laos at the first Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge checkpoint in Muang Nong Khai District. Among them was 33-year-old Phongthep from Nonthaburi, subject to arrest warrant No. 125/2566 issued on January 13, 2566, facing charges including fraud, impersonation, gang membership, transnational organized crime participation, computer fraud, and money laundering, with the Anti-Scamming Division handling the case.
During interrogation, Phongthep stated that in 2566, a friend named Aek invited him to work as a call center employee in Cambodia. He illegally crossed the border through Sakaew Province and was detained for 12 days upon arrival. When offered illegal work, Phongthep refused and was threatened for payment of 30,000 baht or to have relatives send money. Unable to comply, he was tortured with electric shocks and forced to read scripts impersonating a police officer receiving complaints for two months before escaping back to Thailand. In mid-April 2567, seeing an online job posting for packaging work in Laos, he crossed the border illegally through Nakhon Phanom Province to Savannakhet Province in Laos. Though employers provided accommodation, he was arrested by Lao authorities and deported to Thailand before starting work.
