Family of 16 stranded in China after paying 700,000 baht to scam travel agency
A family of 16 fell victim to a travel agency scam, paying 700,000 baht for a fully organised trip to Harbin, China, only to be left to arrange nearly every aspect of the journey themselves after arriving overseas.
One of the victims, Chonchanok, shared details of the ordeal on her Facebook account on Saturday, January 17, explaining that she booked a week-long tour from December 28 to January 2 for her family.
The package was supposed to include flights, accommodation, transport, entrance fees, insurance, and a New Year countdown programme.
According to Chonchanok, the travel agency owner, identified only as Frame, contacted her upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and claimed there was a mistake with the flight booking, saying no tickets could be found for the family.
With no alternative and fearing the entire trip would collapse, Chonchanok paid over 200,000 baht out of pocket to buy new tickets from Bangkok to Beijing. Frame reportedly promised to refund the amount within three days.
The problems continued throughout the trip. Family members and Frame travelled on separate flights, leading to missed connections from Beijing to Harbin and additional expenses for replacement tickets.
Upon arrival in Harbin, the promised coach bus never appeared, and Frame informed them that only an old van was available. The van driver later stopped providing service, claiming he had not been paid. Chonchanok said she had to repeatedly pressure Frame to transfer money so the trip could continue.
Similar issues arose with accommodation, as the four-star hotel included in the package was not booked and paid, forcing the family to find and pay for new hotel themselves. Entrance fees to major attractions were also unpaid, causing delays or missed visits altogether.
Matters worsened when Chonchanok’s sister injured her foot on broken floor tiles. Despite travel insurance being part of the package, Frame allegedly provided only a bottle of saline, leaving the family to improvise by using sanitary pads to stop the bleeding.
Fearing further chaos, Chonchanok repeatedly asked about return flights to Thailand. Frame eventually admitted she had not booked the return tickets, purchasing seats only two to three tickets at a time shortly before departure.
After returning to Thailand, Chonchanok escorted Frame directly to Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station. Although Frame again promised refunds, she reportedly went silent.
Following the viral post, other victims came forward, alleging they were tricked into transferring money that was then used to fund Chonchanok’s family trip.
Thai authorities have since stepped in and pledged to investigate, though formal legal proceedings and compensation details remain unclear.
