5 illegal Chinese real estate agents, linked to scam gangs, arrested in Chon Buri
Thai Tourist Police officers arrested five illegal Chinese real estate agents in Chon Buri. They were found managing properties rented by call centre scam gangs.
Tourist Police Bureau officers raided an unnamed real estate sales office on Boon Samphan Road in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, yesterday, December 16. At the office, they encountered five Chinese nationals and one individual without legal registration status.
The five Chinese nationals were working at the time of the raid. Some entered Thailand legally while the others were illegally in the country.
They admitted to illegally working as real estate agents, sourcing properties for clients, mostly Chinese nationals, who sought to buy or rent accommodation in Chon Buri and Pattaya. Their services were advertised online.
Further investigations revealed that some of the houses managed by the group were rented by Chinese-owned call centre scam gangs.
The suspects denied profiting directly from the scam gangs, claiming that they earned a living solely through commissions from successful property deals.
The group was charged under Sections 8 and 101 of the Emergency Decree on Foreigners’ Working Management for working without valid work permits. The penalties include a fine ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban on applying for a work permit.
Those who entered Thailand illegally were also charged under Section 81 of the Immigration Act for entering or remaining in the kingdom without permission or with expired documentation. The penalty for this offence is imprisonment for up to two years and a fine of up to 20,000 baht.
In a related case in Rayong, a Chinese woman was reportedly caught advertising the sale of a plot of land in the province in a video shared online. However, no updates on the investigation into this case are provided.
Additionally, on Saturday, December 14, five Chinese men were arrested for working illegally at a construction site in the Huai Khwang area of Bangkok. They were reportedly earning 2,200 baht per day, significantly more than Thai workers and legal migrant labourers.
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