Laos repatriates 24 suspected Thai call-centre scammers, two wanted on arrest warrants
Twenty-four Thai nationals suspected of involvement in call-centre scam operations have been repatriated from Laos. Thai authorities are screening the group to determine whether they are criminal suspects or trafficking victims.
- Laos repatriated 24 Thai nationals suspected of involvement in call-centre scam operations.
- Two members of the group were already wanted under outstanding arrest warrants in Thailand.
- Thai authorities are screening all returnees under the National Referral Mechanism before deciding on prosecution.
Thailand — Twenty-four Thai nationals suspected of involvement in call-centre scam operations were repatriated from Laos on 30 June after authorities in the neighbouring country detained them during an operation in Bokeo province, officials said.
The group, consisting of 15 men and nine women aged between 19 and 41, was handed over to Thai authorities at the Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge in Chiang Khong district, Chiang Rai province, at around 3:30 p.m. local time.
The transfer was carried out under a detainee handover memorandum issued by authorities in Bokeo province.
The repatriation involved cooperation between multiple Thai agencies, including Chiang Rai Immigration Police, the Technology Crime Suppression Division 4 (TCSD4), the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, the Chiang Rai Social Development and Human Security Office, local administrative officials and the Mekong Riverine Patrol Unit.
The suspects were returned for further investigation and possible legal proceedings in Thailand after Lao authorities linked them to alleged call-centre scam activities.
Photographs released by Lao authorities following the arrests showed several suspects wearing imitation Thai police uniforms. The uniforms featured insignia printed on paper and attached to clothing with tape, while the name tags displayed the same name. Investigators are examining whether the fake uniforms were used as part of scam operations in which criminals impersonate law enforcement officers to deceive victims.
Authorities said some members of the group had crossed into border areas using temporary border passes.
Background checks conducted after the handover found that two of the repatriated individuals were already wanted under outstanding arrest warrants in Thailand.
One of them, identified as 25-year-old Sarayu, is wanted under two warrants issued by the Provincial Courts of Phetchabun and Maha Sarakham on 27 May 2026. The warrants relate to allegations of fraud and offences under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act.
Another suspect, 33-year-old Somsak, is wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Phra Nakhon Tai District Court on 23 February 2023 in a case investigated by Bang Rak Police Station. He also faces allegations of fraud and offences under the Computer Crime Act.
Along with the detainees, Lao authorities handed over evidence seized during the operation. The items included 11 mobile phones — consisting of five iPhones, five Vivo devices and one Samsung handset — as well as four laptop computers and 20 passports.
Thai authorities said the recovered items would be incorporated into case files and examined as part of ongoing investigations.
Following their return, all 24 individuals were subjected to screening procedures, interviews and background checks conducted by Thai officials.
The group will undergo assessment under Thailand’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a framework used to identify potential victims of human trafficking and ensure they receive appropriate protection and assistance.
Officials said the screening process is intended to determine whether the individuals knowingly participated in criminal operations or were trafficked and forced to work for scam syndicates.
The Technology Crime Suppression Division is continuing to investigate possible links between the repatriated group and wider technology-related crime networks operating in the region, including transnational call-centre scam syndicates that have expanded across parts of mainland Southeast Asia in recent years.
Authorities said individuals found to have committed criminal offences would face prosecution under Thai law. Those identified as victims of trafficking would be separated from suspects and provided support through government assistance programmes under the NRM process.
The repatriation follows a series of cross-border operations targeting online fraud networks in the Mekong region. Earlier this year, Cambodia returned 162 Thai nationals through a border crossing in Chanthaburi province, with subsequent checks finding that six of the returnees were wanted on criminal charges in Thailand.
