Thai nationals in Korea prepare to exorcise ‘little ghosts’

Thai nationals in South Korea launched a new service aimed at facilitating the arrest of illegal Thai workers, also known as “little ghosts,” who have disputes with their clients.

The Facebook page Poetry of B*tch shared details of this unusual new service yesterday, October 22. The service, operated by Thai people in South Korea, offers assistance to those who want illegal Thai workers they know to be arrested for various reasons.

Most of the clients are Thai nationals, both in Thailand and South Korea, who discovered that their partners are having affairs with other Thai workers in South Korea. These cheating partners often stop sending money to their families or abandon their loyal partners, leaving them to shoulder debts alone.

Some clients are creditors who are unable to recover money from debtors working in South Korea. In revenge, they report the debtors’ illegal stay to the Immigration Bureau to have them arrested.

Another group of clients consists of Thai nationals who wish for Thai sex workers in South Korea to be arrested, believing they tarnish the country’s reputation and bring shame to fellow Thais.

Others used the service to seek the arrest of illegal Thai workers who exhibited bad behaviour, such as committing fraud, sexual assault, adultery, or drug use.

Controversial service

One of the service providers, identified only as A, gave an interview to Poetry of B*tch about her business. A explained that she runs the service with the help of her South Korean business partner. She receives complaints from clients, and her partner liaises with immigration officials to file reports.

A clarified that she cannot guarantee when the targeted illegal workers will be arrested, as immigration authorities in different areas of South Korea operate on their schedules.

A also noted that people can report illegal Thai workers themselves by calling the hotline number 1354 but many opt for her service due to language barriers.

The Facebook page further revealed that this type of service created an opportunity for scammers. Some fraudulent service providers trick clients into paying for the service and then disappear. The page added that some of these providers are illegal Thai workers themselves.

In response to the scams, A urged anyone interested in using the service to exercise caution. She advised avoiding providers who promise to schedule arrests or charge high fees, claiming they can expedite the process.

Many illegal Thai workers in South Korea condemned this service, accusing operators of profiting from the hardships of fellow Thai people. They argue that the arrests could harm innocent workers who are simply trying to support their families.

However, others disagree, insisting that anyone working and staying illegally in South Korea should be arrested, as their illegal status also negatively impacts the reputation of Thais who are legally in the country.