Thailand’s Tourist Police Charge Eight People for Selling Fake Tour Packages

BANGKOK – Thailand’s Tourist police have arrested eight people who ran a firm that sold guided tour packages to southern islands worth about 10 million baht and allegedly failed to deliver them.

Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, deputy commissioner of tourist police, said on Friday that eight, Thaworn Kraikaeo, Prateep Kaeonont and six others, were charged with public fraud.

They are accused of luring about 1,600 people into buying tour packages to southern and eastern islands, including Koh Lipe and islands in Krabi province.

Their clients paid about 10 million baht in total for tour packages from Thai Alpha Andaman Co. In March the company was closed, Pol Maj Gen Surachet said.

After the arrest, Mr Thaworn agreed to give refunds totalling 182,135 baht to 44 customers, the deputy commissioner said.