A 38-year-old tour operator has been arrested after 130 holidaymakers who bought cheap package tours to China arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport and discovered they were not even booked on a plane.
Suthathep aka Harithanadet Rakyart was apprehended on warrants issued by Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Sukhothai provincial courts for public fraud, Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, told a media briefing at the TPB on Thursday.
The Office of the Consumer Protection Board earlier notified tourist police that 130 people had been duped into buying non-existent overseas tour packages advertised at cheap prices. They had lodged complaints at Ayutthaya’s Wang Noi and Sukhothai’s Muang district police stations.
Complaints were also filed at Chai Nat, Ratchaburi, Ban Pong, Klong Tan and Bang Na police stations.
One group of complainants said they bought tour packages to China off the “Thank You Holiday Tour’’ Facebook page operated by Mr Suthathep. They contacted the suspect via Line chat app and bought the packages at 9,999 baht per head, or 41,996 baht for a group of four.
The packages were for four days and three nights in China, with the itinerary set for Dec 17-20. After the payments were made they were sent receipts by the firm.
On Dec 17, they showed up at Suvarnabhumi airport fully expecting to catch a booked flight to China. However, they were unable to contact anyone from the tour agency. They then checked with airline staff and were told that no tickets had been purchased for their trip to China.
Pol Maj Gen Surachate said 23 tour groups totalling 130 people had been swindled out of 1,581,950 baht in total.
Mr Suthathep told police tour agency had been registered since 2014 but ran into financial problems last year and was not able to arrange the tours as scheduled. He claimed he had tried to repay his disappointed customers but could not manage the full amount.
One complainant, Mallikar Utthathananon, 29, from Rayong, said she had bought tour packages for 13 people and was told she would receive discounts if payments were made within the time given.
She then paid 129,987 baht to the firm on Dec 5 last year with the travel itinerary set for Feb 2-14. The firm later cancelled the trip, citing weather conditions. She had asked for a refund, but the company kept postponing payment, Ms Mallikar said.
The tour firm’s Facebook page “Thank You Holiday Tour’’ had not been closed as of Thursday. The page was flooded with complaints from dissatisfied customers.
