BANGKOK — Thai police arrested 16 foreign nationals — including 15 Chinese citizens and a Taiwanese man wanted on three warrants — during a raid on a condominium in Bangkok’s Rama 9 area after investigators linked the group to international scam operations.
Huai Khwang police and immigration officers raided the condo on Nov. 27 following a tip about unusual activity. Officers detained the group inside a unit in the district.
Police said 13 of the suspects had violated immigration laws. Twelve Chinese nationals were found to have entered Thailand illegally through undocumented routes, allegedly crossing into the country via Tak province after fleeing Myanmar. Another suspect overstayed a visa, while three others held valid Prestige visas.
Taiwanese Man Wanted
The Taiwanese suspect is wanted in Taiwan on warrants related to drug offenses, fraud and money laundering. Police said he admitted during questioning that he had been prosecuted previously for operating mule bank accounts, claiming scammers recruited him because of his computer science skills. He told investigators he had been assigned to work on romance scams and investment fraud schemes in exchange for 50,000 New Taiwan dollars for opening two mule accounts.
Ties to Myanmar Scam Gangs
Huai Khwang police chief Col. Prasopchok Iampinit said several of the suspects had worked for scam networks in Myanmar and fled after authorities tightened border crackdowns. The Taiwanese suspect and others reportedly slipped into Thailand through Tak province and arrived at the condominium around 4 a.m. on Nov. 27.
Police said the unit had been rented for a year by a Chinese woman who claimed she was the girlfriend of one suspect. She told officers she knew only him and two friends and denied knowing the rest of the group.
Investigators are reviewing a vehicle believed to have been used to transport the suspects and are looking into possible assistance from Thai nationals. Police believe the group intended to use Thailand as a transit point before moving to a third country.
Charges and Next Steps
Officers seized multiple mobile phones — including eight found in one suspect’s luggage — and are examining them for evidence.
Police charged 11 Chinese nationals and the Taiwanese suspect with illegal entry, while another person faces an overstay charge. After immigration proceedings, authorities plan to transfer the Taiwanese man to immigration officials to coordinate with Taiwan on the outstanding warrants.
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