Labor Minister Julapan Amornwiwat joined forces with the anti-human trafficking police to announce the arrest of a scam gang operating a company that falsely promised overseas jobs. Over 100 victims lost nearly 20 million baht.
At 10:00 a.m. on 2 May 2026 at the Anti-Trafficking Police Division, Minister of Labor Julapan Amornwiwat, along with Police Lieutenant General Natthasak Chaowanasa, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, Police Major General Witthaya Sriprasertphap, Commander of the Anti-Trafficking Division, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labor Police Lieutenant Colonel Wannapong Kotcharak, and Somchai Morakotsriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, held a press conference regarding a company that defrauded people seeking agricultural work in Australia and New Zealand.
Following complaints from over 100 victims on 25 April, the Anti-Trafficking Police Division received reports that a visa agency company deceived people by claiming it could arrange overseas jobs. Victims were required to pay the company hundreds of thousands of baht upfront for training. Ultimately, the company disappeared, resulting in losses totaling nearly 20 million baht.
After investigation, authorities arrested two suspects, 23-year-olds Mr. Thanakarn and Mr. Tharatep, on 27 April. Charges include conspiracy to defraud the public, falsely representing the ability to find jobs or internships abroad and obtaining property through deception, unlawful job placement advertising, fraud, and computer-related offenses involving falsified or misleading data likely to harm the public. The suspects were apprehended in a rented room in Mae Sot district, Tak province.
The scheme began around August 2025 when victims seeking overseas work found job postings for agricultural positions in New Zealand and Australia, offering salaries of about 100,000 baht and free accommodation. They contacted the suspects' company, which was legally registered. The suspects claimed to have jobs in fruit harvesting and agriculture in New Zealand and Australia, with monthly salaries around 85,000 baht, potentially rising to 100,000 baht with overtime.
Victims, believing the offer, applied but had to pay fees upfront: 80,000 baht for contract fees, 40,000 baht for life insurance, 9,750 baht for visa processing, and 33,000 baht for currency exchange, totaling 162,750 baht. After payment, suspects told victims they must attend training on job duties in Bangkok or its vicinity. However, on the appointed day, no training occurred, and the suspects became unreachable. Realizing they had been scammed, victims reported to investigators at the Anti-Trafficking Division.
Investigations revealed the suspects' company was registered on 29 August 2025 with four related individuals sharing roles: Mr. Wanchalerm as company director; Ms. Pitchjira (nickname Bam); Mr. Thanakarn (Boy); and Mr. Tharatep (Pat). After gathering evidence, authorities obtained arrest warrants. On 28 April 2026, three days after the complaint, they tracked the two suspects to Tak province and arrested them. A search of the company’s office in Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, found items had been moved out since early April, before victims realized the fraud. The two suspects were taken for prosecution, while investigations continue to locate and charge the others.
Minister Julapan urged Thais seeking overseas employment to verify the names of licensed recruitment companies authorized by the Department of Employment on the central job registration and protection website to avoid falling victim to scams. He warned job seekers to be cautious, as fraudsters use online platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and fake pages to advertise high-paying agricultural jobs, farms, or fruit picking in Australia and New Zealand, falsely claiming to be legally registered companies. Only companies licensed by the Ministry of Labor through the Department of Employment may legally arrange Thai workers abroad. Any individual or group claiming to do so without authorization should be considered illegal, and job seekers are strongly advised not to trust such claims.