UDON THANI, Thailand – Karma catches up with an 18-year-old woman from Udon Thani, who worked for a call center scam operation in Cambodia. Upon her return to Thailand, police arrested her at her home in Chaiwan District under a court-issued warrant. Authorities in Nan Province are pursuing charges against her after a victim reported being deceived into transferring money. The woman admitted to impersonating attractive women via online chats to scam victims, earning a salary of 17,000 baht per month—though deductions left her with nothing.
The case involves Ms. Bussara, also known as “Boat,” who had been working with a call center gang in Poipet, Cambodia. She previously contacted Thai authorities in distress, crying for help and requesting to return home. She feared imprisonment due to an outstanding arrest warrant and claimed the scam group demanded $1,000 for her release. This incident was reported on February 4.
A few days later, Ms. Bussara managed to return to Thailand on her own, without her family paying the ransom.
On February 18, Pol. Col. Rattapolchai Pensongkram, chief of Chaiwan Police Station, and an investigation team arrested Ms. Bussara at her home in Ban Nopkao, Udon Thani, under a warrant issued by the Juvenile Court of Nan Province. She was taken into custody before being transferred to the appropriate jurisdiction for legal proceedings.
Ms. Bussara told police she had not willingly joined the call center scam. She was initially deceived by an acquaintance who promised her a job at a bar in Chonburi, only to find herself smuggled into Cambodia. She recalled crossing into Poipet in November 2024, where she was forced to work with over 200 other Thai nationals.
Her role was to lure victims using fake online identities, chatting through Line and Facebook while posing as beautiful women. Some scams even involved blackmail. She admitted to tricking a car parts dealer into transferring approximately 50,000 baht.
Ms. Bussara said she was released after the scam gang saw media reports of her plea for help on February 4. While she was not physically harmed during her time there, she was subjected to punishments like running up and down a 10-story building three times for failing to meet scam targets. Despite a promised salary of 17,000 baht per month, multiple deductions left her with no money.
“Now that I’m back home, I still feel anxious. I’m afraid the call center gang might come after me. Before I left, they took my phone, and I believe they may be tracking me through GPS,” she said.
She revealed that the scam operation was led by Chinese nationals, with Thai managers overseeing operations. Employees who failed to meet their quotas were often beaten, struck with electric shocks, or otherwise physically punished.
Pol. Col. Rattapolchai confirmed that Ms. Bussara’s arrest was linked to a fraud case filed with Na Muen Police Station in Nan Province. A victim reported transferring money into a mule account registered under Ms. Bussara’s name. Following the court’s arrest warrant, she was taken into custody and will be handed over to Nan police for further legal action.
The incident reportedly took place on February 6 last year.
