Thai border raid exposes scam center, fake currency operation

The Thai Second Army Region reported today that it has seized a large amount of evidence linked to transnational scam operations from a hotel-casino complex in Chong Chom, in Kap Choeng district of the northeastern province of Surin, after it was taken over by Thai troops last week.

The Thai military attacked several casinos along the Thai-Cambodian border — including some partially encroaching on Thai soil — because they suspected the facilities were being used by Cambodia to store munitions and heavy weapons during intense fighting prior to the ceasefire agreed between the two countries.

The Second Army Region said its soldiers searched the Chong Chom complex and found extensive evidence indicating that it had been operating as a transnational scam center.

The complex consists of three similar buildings, with the first five floors used to house scammers from various countries and the sixth floor serving as a shared workspace.

The workspace was divided into soundproof rooms used by scam supervisors.

Scammers in each building were divided into four or five groups, working in different zones designed to resemble the environment of the countries being targeted — including flags, symbols, images and other items — to convince potential victims.

Troops also found manuals detailing techniques used to cheat victims, along with conversation scripts for scammers, as well as information about specific targets.

Also seized were numerous SIM cards, desktop computers, laptops, more than 30 mobile phones, financial documents, ID and credit cards, card scanners and counterfeit US currency.

Informed sources also claimed that a machine for printing fake US dollar bills, along with blank paper, was discovered at the complex.