Deputy National Police Commander Deploys to Phitsanulok to Crack Down on Human Smuggling Network Operating Call Center Scams
Police arrested seven people including Thai nationals and foreign workers in Phitsanulok after dismantling a human smuggling network that was moving Indonesian workers into Thailand for call center scam operations near the Mae Sot border.
Police Lieutenant General Thatchai Pitanilabut, Deputy National Police Commander, deployed to Phitsanulok to dismantle the human smuggling network operating call center fraud schemes.
On May 19, 2025, Deputy Commander Thatchai revealed that following coordination with ASEAN police networks and the Indonesian police attaché regarding Indonesian nationals held in Phitsanulok awaiting illegal border crossing to work at border call centers, he authorized tracking operations by Region 6 Police, the Immigration Bureau's Checkpoint 5, and relevant agencies. The search of a residential location in Muang Phitsanulok district resulted in the apprehension of two Thai nationals, three Indonesians (two men and one woman), and one Chinese national, with two vehicles seized. All suspects underwent victim screening for human trafficking; preliminary results showed the three Indonesians were not trafficking victims. They reported previously working in neighboring countries before being smuggled across the border into Thailand to prepare for reassignment to call center operations along the Mae Sot border area.
Deputy Commander Thatchai, accompanied by the Indonesian police attaché, proceeded to Muang Phitsanulok Police Station to expedite evidence collection and expand the investigation to identify all smugglers, brokers, and facilitators involved.
Thatchai stated that human smuggling operations and transnational criminal networks continue active efforts utilizing coordinator and smuggler networks across multiple areas, and authorities will accelerate investigations and expand prosecutions against additional suspects.
The Royal Thai Police is upgrading technology and AI systems to support data analysis and tracking of transnational networks' movements. Region 6 Police has been ordered to coordinate with immigration and relevant agencies to accelerate investigations, expand prosecutions, and conduct rigorous operations to eliminate foreign smuggling networks.
