Nine Thais ‘set fire to Cambodian casino to escape murderous call centre gang’

The eight men and one woman told rangers and immigration police at Aranyaprathet’s Ban Klong Luek border checkpoint that they lit a fire at the PuLi Casino in Poipet before fleeing back over the border near the checkpoint.

Maj Assawin Saothong, commander of a ranger company in charge of the area, said several of the group had severe cuts on their hands, legs and bodies while some had bruises all over their bodies. They were taken to Aranyaprathet district hospital for treatment.

Members of the group told authorities they sneaked across the border after being promised jobs at the casino. But the jobs turned out to be working for a call centre gang operating from the building, they said.

The group said the gang threatened to beat or kill those who refused to make scam calls to deceive fellow Thais in Thailand. They also claimed to have witnessed Thai victims being shot dead by the gang members.

The group reported that about 200 Thais were being detained in the casino building, Assawin said.

The group said they set fire to the building as part of their escape plan, adding that 11 of them had fled but two were recaptured.

The nine were identified as Pratyamanee Sonharn, 27, and Puttipong Silapa, 30, both from Sa Kaeo; Chakkrit Boonruanya, 21, from Chiang Mai; Kamol Karuerak, 47, from Prachuap Khiri Khan; Thayakorn Borirakyothin, 43, from Chanchoengsao; Chindanai Thongwutthisak, 23, from Bangkok; Thanakij Piriyachananusorn, 23, from Prae; Phumipat Chairat, 27, from Pathum Thani; and Nannaphat Khammongkhun, 23, from Mahasarakham.

Thai authorities said they had asked their counterparts in Poipet to check the casino building.