Thai dancer and girlfriend arrested at Cambodia border checkpoint
Cambodian officials arrested a Thai dancer and his girlfriend after they were reportedly deceived into working for a call centre scam gang.
The man, 25 year old Pongsakorn “Aon” Phueanpharam, and his girlfriend, 23 year old Panadda “Dream” Chokeboonrueang, were reported missing on February 24. Aon told his family he would accompany Dream to apply for a job and attend training before she started work.
The couple checked into a hotel in Bangkok before a sedan collected them from outside the hotel. After that, they did not return home and stopped contacting family, friends and colleagues.
Public attention grew around their disappearance, after which a woman, identified only as Wi, said she met Aon and Dream in Cambodia.
Wi said she was tricked into working for a call centre scam gang. Her bank accounts were used as mule accounts until they were suspended, so the gang allowed her to return to Thailand. She said Aon and Dream were also deceived and forced to operate mule accounts.
In the latest update, Thai journalist Anuwat Fuangthongdang reported yesterday, March 4, that Aon, Dream and other Thai nationals were arrested at a border checkpoint in O Smach, Cambodia. They were believed to have attempted to return to Thailand, but were found entering Cambodia illegally, which led to their arrests.
Anuwat said the couple would have to go through legal proceedings in Cambodia before being deported to Thailand. He did not provide details of the penalty.
Some social media users cited information they said came from the Royal Thai Embassy in Cambodia, claiming the couple could face an eight-month prison sentence for illegal entry and a fine of up to 15,000 baht.
In comments under Anuwat’s post, several people said their relatives were deceived in similar circumstances and were arrested at the same border checkpoint. Some said legal proceedings can take a long time, and their family members have not yet returned to Thailand.
Other users said they were relieved because their relatives were among those arrested with Aon and Dream and were at least unharmed.
However, some commenters questioned whether the couple were deceived, saying they believed some people who travel to work for scam operations know what they are doing, but proceed because of financial hardship.
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