
Eighteen Thai phone scam suspects deported from Dubai arrived in Thailand on Monday after March 19 raids in the emirate. Four more will arrive on Tuesday.
Dubai police brought the suspects, five of whom were women, on a flight to Suvarnabhumi airport Monday morning. National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda was there to take them.
The suspects were among the 23 arrested at a housing estate near the Dragon Market in Dubai. One of them was Taiwanese and the rest were Thai.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, deputy tourist police chief, said four more Thai suspects would arrive on Tuesday.
From the airport, police took the suspects to the Royal Thai Police Office in Bangkok for interrogation. There, police charged them with involvement in public fraud and transnational crime.
Earlier reports said the busted phone scam gang caused 50 million baht in damage to Thai victims.
The arrest was a coordination between Thai and United Arab Emirates police who were hunting for more suspects in the gang, Pol Gen Chakthip said.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said most phone scam victims in Thailand received calls from Dubai which was a big base of the gang. A few hundreds of the suspects remain at large, most of whom are Taiwanese, he said.
The 18 suspects who returned on Monday were identified as Tanutorn Chaidee, 32, Jantajon Setwisai, 35, Nampueng Waeoploi, 40, Surakit Sudto, 37, Suchin Suksuyuti, 41, Wichuda Shimjan, 27, Piroon Ratanawiset, 31, Cholachart Iamtim, 44, Jidapa Samruamjit, 33, Krisada Malirote, 23, Malai Namek, 39, Krirkrit Thongsook 35, Jiramet Sakulkittikawin, 37, Thadet Batsharee, 32, Wandee Ritthee, 33, Thitipat Boottayothee, 20, Chatpong Khansanoh, 36, and Meechai Duangkraifaeng, 36.