CHIANG MAI – The commander of the Provincial Police Region 5 reports the Online Crime Resolution Operating Centre successfully saved a language teacher and a university student in Chiang Mai who were nearly victims of call centre scams trying to steal their money.
Fortunately, the police froze the funds in time. The commander reminded the public that “nothing is free in this world.”
The announcement took place at the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station, where Police Lieutenant General Krittaphon Yeesakorn, Commander of Provincial Police Region 5, spoke alongside his deputies.
Attending officers included Police Major General Thawatchai Phongwiwatchai, Deputy Commander of Region 5, Police Major General Yutthan Kaenchan, Commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, and Police Colonel Prachaya Thitsala, Superintendent of the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station.
They highlighted the successful work of the Online Crime Resolution Operating Centre (AOC) and the Technology Crime Suppression Centre, Region 5 (SPSOS.P5). These units rescued two individuals in Chiang Mai from call centre fraudsters.
Money Frozen by Police
The first victim was a language instructor. Scammers lured the instructor through Telegram into an online investment through a fake green tea page. The instructor started with a small 500 Baht investment and received actual returns.
This made the instructor trust the scheme, leading to a larger investment of 1.2 million Baht. When the instructor was asked to transfer another 3.6 million Baht, suspicion arose.
The victim immediately called the 1441 hotline for help. Police Technology Crime Suppression (PCT) Region 5 quickly coordinated with Siam Commercial Bank. They managed to freeze 900,000 Baht before the money could be moved out of the system. The instructor called this a vital lesson, stressing that “nothing is free; greed makes people easy targets.”
The second case involved a female student from a prominent Chiang Mai university. She received a call from criminals posing as mobile network staff and police officers from Ban Lat Police Station. They falsely claimed her phone number was linked to a money laundering case. They instructed her to transfer funds to prove her innocence.
Chiang Mai Student Scammed
The student believed the story and transferred 500,000 Baht in two separate transactions. As she prepared to transfer an additional 300,000 Baht, patrol officers from Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station intervened.
The officers had received an alert from Kiatnakin Phatra Bank about unusual transactions. They stopped the additional transfer and froze the money already sent for further investigation.
The Commander of Provincial Police Region 5 stated that the region currently faces over 100,000 cases of online fraud and call centre scams. Nationwide, this figure exceeds one million cases. He confirmed that the police and all banks are cooperating closely.
Their focus is on quickly blocking the financial pathways used by criminals. He urged the public to stay informed about various scam tactics, as fraudsters constantly change their methods. If anyone suspects they are being scammed or notices anything suspicious, they should immediately call the 1441 hotline. This allows authorities to freeze transactions before the losses escalate.
Financial Damage from Online Scams
After the briefing, the commander visited the operation room of the Technology Crime Suppression Centre at Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station. He saw desks piled high with documents related to online fraud cases. This image highlights the growing severity of the problem in the digital era.
Online scams, including investment fraud, phishing, fake e-commerce sales, and call center schemes, continue to impose significant economic burdens on Thailand in 2025. These crimes exploit the country’s high digital penetration (over 90% smartphone usage) and cross-border operations from scam centers in neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Laos.
While government crackdowns—such as the Anti-Online Scam Operation Center (AOC 1441) and new legislation—have led to some reductions in reported losses, the overall impact remains substantial. Data through mid-2025 shows escalating figures, with investment scams causing the highest damages.
