Provincial Police Region 6 raided a bank counter in central Mae Sot city to arrest a Thai woman hired to open fake bank accounts for a call center gang while she was conducting a cash withdrawal of nearly one million baht. The victim was a retired government schoolteacher who was deceived by criminals claiming to be officials from the Buriram Teachers' Savings Cooperative Funeral Fund.
At 10:00 AM on 19 Jan 2026 GMT+7, reporters gathered at the meeting room of the Tak Provincial Police Investigation Division where Police Lieutenant General Kitisak Durongkaviboon, Commander of Provincial Police Region 6, Police Major General Nattawut Pakphum, Deputy Commander of Provincial Police Region 6, Police Major General Paisan Nanta, Commander of Tak Provincial Police, and Police Major General Dechapol Premsiri, Commander of the Investigation Division of Provincial Police Region 6, were present.
They held a press conference regarding the arrest by officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Center of Provincial Police Region 6, the Investigation Division of Provincial Police Region 6, the Tak Provincial Police Command, and the Mae Sot Police Station. Two suspects were apprehended for involvement in call center fraud: Ms. Jirapatchara Nantakitjaroonchai, 37, and Mrs. Sudarat Phuakmee, 38, both Thai nationals. Both had arrest warrants issued by the Buriram Provincial Court on 16 Jan 2026 GMT+7.
They face charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to fraudulently introduce false or distorted data into a computer system in a way likely to cause damage to others or the public. Police seized assets believed to be connected to the crime, including 945,000 baht in cash and a bank passbook for account number 664891XXXX.
The case originated from a complaint filed at Khaen Dong Police Station in Buriram by Mrs. Pranee Marangram, a retired government schoolteacher and the victim. On 12 Jan 2026 GMT+7, she was deceived by scammers claiming to be officials from the Buriram Teachers' Savings Cooperative Funeral Fund. They tricked her into transferring money by falsely promising government welfare benefits if she conducted online transactions via a phone app named "Buriram Teachers' Savings Cooperative." Confused and convinced, she transferred 500,000 baht to a Bangkok Bank account number 098433XXX under the name Ms. Supitchaya Charum, a fake account holder. The bank detected irregularities in the transaction and contacted the victim, revealing the fraud.
On the same day at approximately 11:41 AM, the War Room center traced the flow of the illicit funds and found the money was immediately transferred to bank account 664891XXXX under the name "Mrs. Sudarat Phuakmee." At that time, 945,000 baht was withdrawn in cash at the bank counter service in Mae Sot district.
Authorities believe the criminals were attempting to withdraw the money to prepare for concealment, transfer, embezzlement, or laundering of the funds obtained through the crime. Therefore, they coordinated with the Tak Provincial Police Command and Mae Sot Police Station to urgently investigate the financial transactions.
Police officers arrived at the location and found the two suspects nearby. They identified themselves and informed the suspects of the search. Cash and related items were found in the possession of both suspects.
Mrs. Sudarat admitted she had been hired by Ms. Jirapatchara to use her bank account to receive transfers from elsewhere and withdraw cash from the bank, totaling one million baht—945,000 baht in cash and 55,000 baht still remaining in the account. She was paid 1,500 baht for this service. Police seized the cash and froze the bank account, promptly notifying Khaen Dong Police Station through the center.
Subsequently, investigators at Khaen Dong Police Station filed a request for arrest warrants for both suspects, which the Buriram Provincial Court approved as described. The arresting officers took the suspects into custody and transferred them to Lieutenant Boonlert Tipsribut, the investigating officer, to proceed with legal action.