Phuket –
In a late-night encounter, highway police in Phuket apprehended a man wanted for his alleged role in a multimillion-baht call center scam, after initially stopping to assist him as he walked alone along a dark stretch of road.
The arrest was made by officers from the Highway Police Division under the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Jiraphop Phuridej. The suspect, identified only as Mr. Ratchasak (surname withheld), 38, was found wandering near a passenger shelter along Highway 402 in the Thepkrasattri subdistrict. Concerned for his safety, officers approached to offer help—only to discover he was the subject of an active arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on October 4th, 2023 (Warrant No. 3382/2566).
Mr. Ratchasak faces charges of public fraud and importing false information into a computer system in a manner likely to cause harm to the public. Investigators revealed that he had allegedly opened multiple “mule” bank accounts used by a call center syndicate to funnel money from victims. The total damage linked to these accounts exceeds 10 million baht (approximately USD 270,000).
The operation was led by Pol. Lt. Col. Pongsak Meemusik, Chief of Highway Police Subdivision 1, along with Pol. Lt. Jirayut Fongprapai and officers from Phang Nga, Krabi, and Phuket. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and transferred to the investigating officers for further legal proceedings.
Authorities continue to crack down on call center scams, which have surged in recent years, often targeting vulnerable individuals through sophisticated impersonation tactics.
