Lao Woman Arrested in Thailand for Alleged Online Fraud Involvement
On July 22, Thai immigration officers arrested Phouvanh Inhavong, a 34-year-old woman from Thakhek, Laos, at the Nakhon Phanom international ferry terminal. Authorities say she was involved in a major online fraud operation worth over THB 2.9 million (~USD 90,000).
The arrest occurred during enhanced border checks targeting cross-border crime. Upon scanning her passport, officials found an active arrest warrant issued by the Lopburi Provincial Court on June 20. Phouvanh is accused of conspiring to defraud the public, allowing criminals to use her Thai bank account and SIM card, and inputting false data into a computer system, in violation of Thailand’s Computer Crime Act.
Phouvanh claimed she was unaware of the warrant and had only entered Thailand to buy milk for her 3-month-old baby. She told police that months ago, a Lao neighbor asked to use her Thai bank account to receive payments from a Vietnamese businessman. In return, she was promised a 10% commission per transfer. The transactions—about 20 in total—amounted to roughly THB 2.9 million.
Authorities later determined that her account was used in a scam group called “Shopping Center” on the LINE messaging app. Victims were tricked into making repeated payments for fake investment schemes. The scammers withdrew funds immediately after each deposit, causing significant losses.
Phouvanh was taken into custody, and Lopburi police are continuing the investigation. Legal proceedings are pending as officials assess her level of involvement.
