Bangkok:Immigration police have successfully dismantled a Chinese call center and gambling gang known as the Hong Guan network. Operating from a luxury house in the Sai Mai area, the gang was involved in defrauding fellow Chinese nationals by luring them into fraudulent product review projects and artificially inflating view counts, resulting in damages exceeding 100 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the operation led to the arrest of 14 suspects, including 10 Chinese nationals, 3 Thai nationals, and 1 Myanmar national. Over 200 items related to the crime were confiscated, including 58 mobile phones, 100 Malaysian SIM cards, computers, and a significant amount of cash. The estimated financial damage caused by the gang is reported to be over 100 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Nophasil Phoolsawat, Commander of the Immigration Bureau, disclosed that the investigation began after a 25-year-old Chinese national, who was a victim of the scam, provided photographic and chat evidence while seeking assistance. The victim had been lured from China under the pretense of a job offer worth 80,000 baht per month but was instead forced to participate in the scam. He was compelled to work 12-hour shifts and was managed by a supervisor overseeing an online gambling website. He eventually plotted his escape after overhearing plans to move operations to Cambodia due to increased crackdowns in Thailand.
Investigations into electronic devices have revealed connections to a major Chinese online gambling website, referred to as "HGA," or the "Hong Guan" network. Most Chinese suspects entered Thailand in 2025 on student, 30-day, and 60-day tourist visas. Authorities are expanding their probe into phone numbers, bank accounts, and financial transactions with assistance from Chinese authorities. The investigation targets two main suspects "Mr. Fu," wanted for online gambling, and "Mr. Han," who has an arrest warrant in Thailand for drug offenses and is currently out on bail. Both suspects have overstayed their visas by more than 1,200 days.