CHIANG RAI – Police have arrested two women for running a massive fake job scam. The suspects promised local workers high-paying jobs in Ireland. However, these overseas jobs did not actually exist, leaving many people in heavy debt. The scam affected dozens of hopeful workers across the northern region.
Officers from the Tourist Police worked with local stations to make the arrests. They caught the two 29-year-old women on August 25, 2026, in the Pa Daet district. The provincial court had issued arrest warrants for both suspects just a few days earlier. They are now facing serious fraud and illegal employment charges.
Key Takeaways:
- Police arrested two 29-year-old women in Chiang Rai for a fake overseas job scam.
- The scammers tricked about 80 victims by promising them non-existent jobs in Ireland.
- The total financial loss is roughly 27 million Thai Baht, or about 340,000 Baht per person.
The suspects, named by police as Ms. Sirinya and Ms. Khanittha, ran an unlicensed job agency. They charged each person about 340,000 Thai Baht for their placement services. They promised this fee would cover all costs to live and work in Ireland. Sadly, the victims never went abroad and lost their life savings.
After realizing they were tricked, the victims went to the Ban Du police station. They filed official complaints against the fake agency to get their money back. As more people came forward, the total number of victims grew to around 80. This massive scale prompted the police to launch a full and urgent investigation.
How the Fake Overseas Job Scam Worked
The scammers used smooth talking to trick locals into paying huge fees. They operated without any official license from the government labor office. In Thailand, all overseas job agencies must have legal permission to operate. This strict rule helps protect workers from human trafficking and financial fraud.
To build trust, the women likely shared fake success stories with their targets. They convinced families to borrow money or sell land to pay the steep fees. These types of crimes deeply hurt local communities and destroy family finances.
Police Major Awirut Sukyaem led the joint team to catch the suspects. His officers tracked the women down to a house in the Pa Ngae area. The police showed the official court warrants before taking them away. The suspects did not resist the arrest during the daytime raid.
Next Steps in the Police Investigation
The police have now handed the suspects over to investigators in the main city. Detectives will question them to see if other people were involved in the network. They also want to find out exactly where the 27 million Baht went. Finding the missing money is a top priority to help the victims.
Authorities are warning the public to be very careful with overseas job offers. You should always check with the local labor office before paying anyone. If a job offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. The police hope this major arrest stops others from being tricked.
