BANGKOK — A Chinese national suspected of running a major human trafficking operation and operating an illegal nightclub in Bangkok’s Huai Khwang district was arrested Wednesday evening after 15 months on the run.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsorn, along with investigators, led the operation that resulted in the arrest of Mr. Ma Wufeng, 41, at a residence in Ratchadaphisek Soi 7, Yaek 1-8 (Soi Chan Mueang 5) in Din Daeng district at 9 PM on May 28.
Ma, also known as Ah Ma, was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by Mae Sot Provincial Court on February 16, 2024, for charges related to providing shelter and assistance to illegal immigrants to help them evade arrest.
He has not yet provided any statements to Bangkok Metropolitan Police. Authorities plan to transfer him to Mae Sot Police Station on May 29 to face the outstanding charges from the 2022 case.
Ah Ma: The Fourth Suspect
The case stems from the March 3, 2022 arrest of Thai taxi driver Ekalak Paenoi, 41, who was caught transporting three Chinese nationals toward the Myanmar border. Immigration police intercepted them at a checkpoint in Ban Huai Hin Fon, Mae Pa subdistrict, Mae Sot district.
The investigation revealed a sophisticated network involving four other suspects, including someone identified as Pittipat who hired Ekalak to transport the illegal immigrants from Mae Sot to Chiang Rai province.
Phone records showed that another suspect, Lao Xing, had contacted the SP Hotel in Mae Sot on March 2, 2022, booking rooms and transferring payment in advance for the three Chinese nationals. A third suspect, Veerayuth, used a black Toyota Fortuner to transport the Chinese men to the hotel.
Financial investigations revealed that Ma was the one funding the operation, transferring money for hiring fees and accommodation expenses to Lao Xing.
Tracked to Bangkok’s Huai Khwang
In 2024, Bangkok Metropolitan Police received intelligence that Ma was co-owner of an illegal entertainment venue in Huai Khwang district, located in Pracharasdr Bampen Soi 4, Din Daeng district. A raid on November 5, 2024, found approximately 31 people, including tourists and service staff, along with drugs and drug paraphernalia on the premises.
Although Ma wasn’t found during that raid, police continued surveillance of the area and eventually tracked him to his hideout in Ratchadaphisek Soi 7.
Wanted for $300 Million Wuhan Scam
Coordination with Chinese police revealed that Ma is not only involved in human trafficking to Myanmar but is also a key member of a massive call center scam operation that defrauded Chinese citizens of over 10 billion baht (approximately $300 million) in Wuhan, Hubei Province, central China. Chinese authorities consider him a high-priority fugitive.
Connection to High-Profile Murder Case
Investigation revealed Ma’s close relationship with taxi driver Ekalak Paenoi, a former naval officer nicknamed “Sergeant M,” who later became a suspect in the shocking assassination of Lim Kimya, a former Cambodian opposition MP, who was shot dead near Wat Bowonniwet temple on the evening of January 7, 2024.
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