Police are hunting a company that scammed people with false promises of mushroom picking jobs in Canada. Ultimately, the victims were left "stood up" and did not travel. Over 325 victims lost nearly 30 million baht. Authorities are urgently pursuing another suspect who fled abroad to evade arrest.
On 23 Oct 2026 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant General Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, ordered Police Major General Wittaya Sriprasertpap, Commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, along with Police Colonel Siramet Methithanawijit, Chief of Division 3, and other senior officers, to lead forces to arrest Mr. Pasit, also known as Boss, aged 29, a suspect wanted under Criminal Court warrant No. 5638/2569 dated 25 Sep 2026.
He faces charges of "conspiring to deceive others by claiming to offer jobs or internships abroad and obtaining money or assets through such deception; conspiring to advertise job placement violating ministerial regulations; conspiring to fraudulently input false data into a computer system likely to cause public harm; and conspiring to defraud the public." The arrest took place in a sugarcane field behind a village in Saeng Sawang Subdistrict, Nong Saeng District, Udon Thani Province.
The case began when Mr. Watchara and Mr. Pasit jointly created a Facebook page named “Agriculture in Canada,” promoting misleading claims of sending people to work in agriculture, such as mushroom picking in Canada and grape harvesting in Australia. They promised good incomes ranging from 96,000 to 130,000 baht per month, potentially up to 200,000 baht during wine-making season, including free accommodation and benefits. The scam involved initially sending victims on tourist visas, then later converting them to work visas.
When victims believed the promises and contacted the office located in Thung Song Hong area, Bangkok, the suspects charged approximately 79,900 baht each for fees, visa costs, and processing. However, by the time of the scheduled training and departure in late October 2025, the victims arrived at the company only to find the doors padlocked and no contact possible. They then gathered to file complaints with the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, reporting over 325 victims nationwide with total losses exceeding 26 million baht.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Mr. Watchara, a company director and accomplice, had already fled abroad. Mr. Pasit, or “Boss,” fled to hide in Udon Thani Province but was eventually arrested in the sugarcane field.
During interrogation, Mr. Pasit denied the charges, claiming that Mr. Watchara, a friend, had invited him to work and that his role was only to advise on application procedures, receiving occasional wages. He said he lost contact with Mr. Watchara and realized the company had problems. Aware of an outstanding fraud warrant from the Chiang Rai Provincial Court, he fled continuously until his arrest. He was handed over to investigators of Division 3, Anti-Human Trafficking Division, for legal proceedings.