Thai police seal hidden border path used by Cambodia-based scammers

Police increase patrols and block border to disrupt mule account operations and protect the public from scams

Provincial Police Region 2 have sealed a border-crossing route between Thailand and Cambodia in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district to prevent members of an online scamming gang from crossing over to Cambodia to continue their operations. 

Pol Maj-General Theerachai Chamnanmor, investigation chief of the Provincial Police Region 2, said on Friday that the gang has been opening “mule” bank accounts in Thailand before crossing over to their head office in Cambodia. 

These so-called mule accounts are used to collect or transfer illegally obtained funds to bypass detection by authorities.

Theerachai said an arrested suspect told officials that the head office, operating as a call centre, is equipped with biometric scanners to allow the transfer of funds greater than 50,000 baht as per regulations set forth by the Bank of Thailand. 

He said that because of this rule, holders of mule accounts need to be in Cambodia physically to complete the transfer. 



Police have discovered that these gang members have been using a path next to a shopping mall in Pa Rai subdistrict to slip through to the neighbouring country. 

Theerachai said officials have since then closed off the path and are patrolling surrounding areas to prevent anyone trying to cross the border. 



“With the route sealed off, call-centre gangs can no longer cross the border to open bank accounts and then complete facial scans,” he said. “This would put a brake on their operations and therefore protect the public from scams.”

(2025/01/31-00:00)