A village headman in Phatthalung disclosed that after villagers became suspects in 70 fraud cases from opening mule bank accounts causing 21 million baht in damages, he warned them to report to authorities and close the accounts, but many remained silent.
A reporter in Phatthalung province reported that on 9 Jan 2026, Pol. Maj. Gen. Pattanasak Bupphasuwan, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, along with Pol. Col. Pongpanot Chukaew, Deputy Commander, Pol. Col. Anusorn Thongsai, Acting Chief of Division 6, and Pol. Lt. Col. Thinkorn Maneerat, Deputy Chief of Division 6, jointly announced the results of an operation dismantling mule account factories. They searched seven locations across three provinces—Phatthalung, Chiang Mai, and Surin—and arrested four suspects under arrest warrants: Mr. Wiphop, 35; Mr. Akevit, 36; Ms. Thanapha, 35; and Ms. Pasudapha, 35. All face charges at the Criminal Court for jointly facilitating, advertising, and enabling the buying, renting, and lending of bank accounts and electronic cards for technology-related crimes.
Mr. Wiphop was arrested at his home in Kuha Sawan Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phatthalung. Mr. Akevit was arrested at his residence in Khao Pu Subdistrict, Sribunpot District, Phatthalung. Ms. Thanapha was apprehended at her home on Phatthana Road, Kuha Sawan Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phatthalung. Ms. Pasudapha was arrested at her home in San Kamphaeng Subdistrict, San Kamphaeng District, Chiang Mai.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Pattanasak stated that investigations uncovered links among multiple online fraud cases nationwide. Although these cases appeared separate, financial trails led to local villagers’ bank accounts in Sribunpot District, Phatthalung. This led to exposing a major mule account network involving over 30 villagers from the same village implicated in 70 fraud cases causing 21 million baht in damages.
He added that the criminals operated systematically under orders from a foreign mastermind named Mr. Ahwin. Their method involved recruiting mostly elderly and disabled villagers through Thai middlemen, promising jobs as housekeepers in casinos abroad, with wages of 10,000 to 20,000 baht for 2–3 days of work.
The criminals then tricked villagers who agreed to travel into opening five or more bank accounts each, with ATM cards, and facilitated obtaining passports for border crossing. Other suspects coordinated to pick them up at meeting points and deliver them to the mastermind.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Pattanasak said that upon crossing the border and arriving at lodgings, the passports, passbooks, and personal belongings were confiscated. Villagers were confined to the lodgings and required to enter workrooms to scan their faces to verify identity for approving high-value transfers from the accounts. Once the accounts were frozen and unusable, villagers were sent back to Thailand as they were no longer useful. The compromised accounts were then exploited for various scams, such as fake online investment platforms and loan fraud.
During interrogations, some suspects admitted to recruiting others to open mule accounts but denied involvement in fraud, claiming they were deceived into opening accounts. However, evidence including money transfer slips, payment records, and communications with the mastermind via online applications led authorities to detain them and send them to Division 6 of the Crime Suppression Division for legal proceedings.
Recently, reporters visited a village in Khao Pu Subdistrict, Sribunpot District, Phatthalung, identified by Crime Suppression officers as having over 30 villagers opening mule accounts linked to 70 fraud cases totaling 21 million baht. Mr. Akevit was already arrested at his home in Village No. 10, Khao Pu Subdistrict.
The village headman revealed that they have some knowledge about the villagers opening mule accounts and some arrests have been made. However, many villagers in the community still have such accounts open. At a monthly district meeting, the district chief instructed village heads to warn villagers to report and close their accounts, but many have not complied. Even in village meetings, the headman has informed residents, yet no action has been taken. After the arrest of one suspect by Crime Suppression officers, the remaining accounts show no suspicious activity, so no further legal action has been taken.
Meanwhile, reporters went to Mr. Akevit’s home in Sribunpot District, Phatthalung, after his arrest by Crime Suppression officers. Relatives and his older sister declined to comment on the matter.