CIB raids call centre base in Ram Inthra, arrests 11 South Koreans at luxury house

Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested 11 South Korean nationals after raiding a suspected cross-border call centre operation based in a luxury house in Bangkok’s Ram Inthra area.

The operation, announced under the name “Thailand-Korea Breaking Chains EP.2”, was carried out by the CIB’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Thailand and Immigration Police, targeting what authorities described as a transnational call centre office.

Investigators said the network had adapted its tactics to become more sophisticated. They said South Korean suspects who previously operated from neighbouring countries had started moving into Thailand to evade arrest.

Police said the 11 suspects—nine men and two women—rented a luxury house in the Ram Inthra area and used it as a “secret office”, converting rooms into 11 workstations. Authorities said the group used VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to place internet-based calls back to South Korea, making it harder to trace call origins.

During the search, officers found computers displaying prepared call scripts outlining a step-by-step scam method, including:

• Impersonation: random calling victims in South Korea while posing as prosecutors or senior justice officials
• Fear tactics: claiming victims were linked to serious criminal cases or illegal financial transactions, and sending images of fake official documents to build credibility
• Coercion: pressuring victims to transfer money to accounts controlled by the group, allegedly to “verify” funds or prevent asset freezes

Police said phone checks indicated communications via online applications and live scripts designed to apply psychological pressure, leading victims to transfer money.

Officers seized more than 40 computers and mobile phones, along with documents containing victim names and large numbers of phone contacts. The suspects were initially charged with working in Thailand without work permits and were taken to Khok Kram Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities said all digital evidence will be shared with South Korean officials to help pursue the wider network.

The CIB also warned the public that government agencies do not contact people by phone to demand money or announce criminal charges. If a caller claims to be an official, police urged people to stay calm, hang up, and contact the relevant agency directly.