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Lao Woman Arrested in Thailand for Involvement in Online Scam Ring

This Week

On 22 July, Thai immigration authorities arrested a 34-year-old Lao woman at the international ferry terminal in Nakhon Phanom for her alleged role in a major online fraud operation.

Phouvanh Inhavong from Thakhek, Khammouane Province, Laos, was apprehended while crossing into Thailand to buy milk for her 3-month-old baby.

Around 10:00 am, officials from multiple Thai law enforcement agencies increased inspections at the Mekong River border checkpoint. Immigration officers conducted routine checks to prevent illegal immigration and cross-border crimes.

When officers scanned Phouvanh’s passport, they discovered an active arrest warrant issued by the Lopburi Provincial Court on 20 June. 

Authorities accuse her of conspiring to defraud the public, allowing criminals to use her Thai bank account and SIM card in illegal transactions, and transmitting false or misleading data into a computer system, offenses under Thailand’s Computer Crime Act.

Officials took her into custody and notified Lopburi police to take over the investigation.

Police reported that Phouvanh claimed she did not know about the warrant and had only crossed into Thailand to buy baby formula. She said that months earlier, a Lao neighbor asked to use her Thai bank account to receive payments from a Vietnamese businessman involved in an agarwood deal.

Since the businessman could not transfer funds internationally, he required a Thai bank account. The neighbor promised Phouvanh a 10 percent commission per transaction. Trusting the arrangement, she allowed about 20 transfers totaling roughly THB 2.9 million (around USD 90,104)

Authorities said she realized the situation was suspicious only after the bank froze her account.

Investigators determined that criminals used her account to run an online scam through a LINE group called “Shopping Center,” tricking victims into repeatedly transferring money under false investment pretenses. Scammers quickly withdrew each transfer, causing total losses of about THB 2.9 million.

The investigation is ongoing, and it is yet to be determined what legal consequences Phouvanh will face.

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