May 2, 2026 at 10:00 hours – Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, presided over a press conference alongside Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), Pol. Maj. Gen. Montri Thetkan, Deputy Commissioner of the CIB, Pol. Maj. Gen. Wittaya Sriprasoetphap, Commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, Pol. Lt. Col. Wannapong Kotcharak, Permanent Secretary of Labour, and Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment, to disclose details regarding a company that defrauded job seekers into believing they would be sent to work in the agricultural sector in Australia and New Zealand. Also in attendance were Mr. Kritikakon Wongsawangphanit, Adviser to the Labour Minister, and Mr. Surachat Thientong, Secretary to the Labour Minister. The conference was held at the Press Conference Room, 2nd Floor, Pracha-Arak Building (CIB Headquarters), Anti-Human Trafficking Division Headquarters, Phahon Yothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok.
Mr. Julapun Amornvivat, Minister of Labour, stated that the Ministry of Labour, through the Department of Employment, had been notified by officers of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division (AHTD) on April 25, 2026 that a group of over 100 job seekers had filed complaints regarding a visa processing company that had deceived them into believing they would be sent to work in agriculture in Australia and New Zealand. The company falsely claimed it was authorised to place workers abroad, with each victim paying between 130,000 and 150,000 Baht. Following payment, the company instructed the job seekers to attend a training session at a hotel near an airport; however, upon arrival, no hotel booking for any such training event was found. The job seekers then traveled to the company’s registered address in the Pak Kret area of Nonthaburi Province, where they found only a nameplate, with no staff present whatsoever. Realizing they had been deceived, the victims proceeded to the Anti-Human Trafficking Division headquarters to file complaints with investigating officers and pursue legal action against the company.
“The Ministry of Labour urges all Thai citizens wishing to work abroad to verify the names of employment agencies licensed to place workers overseas through the Department of Employment at the Central Employment Registration and Job Seeker Protection Division website: doe.go.th/ipd. The Ministry of Labour affirms its commitment to safeguarding the rights of Thai workers through an integrated policy across all sectors, to collectively and sustainably address the problem of fraudulent overseas employment,” said Mr. Julapun.
Mr. Julapun further stated that the Department of Employment had carried out a registration check and confirmed that the company in question held no license to place job seekers in employment abroad. The Ministry of Labour therefore urges job seekers to exercise greater caution when seeking work overseas, as criminal networks have been found to exploit online platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and counterfeit pages, to advertise and recruit for positions abroad, particularly in agriculture, on farms, or fruit-picking in Australia and New Zealand. These fraudsters claim to offer high-paying work with good benefits and present themselves as legally registered overseas employment agencies to deceive job seekers. He emphasised that only employment agencies holding a licence issued by the Ministry of Labour through the Department of Employment are authorised to place Thai workers abroad. Should any individual or group claim to be able to send workers overseas, this should be regarded as unlawful conduct, and job seekers are strongly advised not to be taken in under any circumstances.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Natthasak Chaowanasai, Commissioner of the CIB, stated that after victims filed complaints with AHTD investigating officers on April 25, 2026, checks revealed that the company had only recently been registered on August 29, 2025. Victim testimony indicated that the deception began around August 2025, when individuals were induced to transfer money purportedly covering travel costs for overseas employment. As for the hotel the suspects claimed would serve as a training venue for prospective overseas workers, police investigations found no booking had been made for any such training. Four suspects have been identified as involved in the scheme, each assigned different roles. Police gathered relevant evidence and obtained arrest warrants from the court on April 27, 2026, subsequently arresting two of the four suspects on April 28, 2026.
Mr. Somchai Maruksriwan, Director-General of the Department of Employment stated that there are five lawful methods by which Thai workers may travel to work abroad:
1) Placement by an employment agency duly registered with the Department of Employment;
2) Placement by the Department of Employment itself;
3) Independent travel for self-arranged employment;
4) An employer in Thailand taking their own employees abroad; and
5) An employer in Thailand sending their employees abroad for vocational training.
Those in need of assistance may seek advice from the Central Employment Registration and Job Seeker Protection Division on 0 2248 4792 and 0 2245 6763, or contact the Provincial Employment Office in any province, the Bangkok Metropolitan Employment Office Areas 1-10, or call the Ministry of Labour Hotline on 1506, press 2 for the Department of Employment.
…………………………………………………………..
Division of Public Relations
