Bangkok police commanders have ordered the dismissal of a senior officer from Don Muang police station after he was arrested for alleged involvement in a call-centre scam network that duped victims into investing in a fake online stock-trading platform.
On Tuesday, Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom and Pol Maj Gen Kiattikul Sonthinen, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 2, instructed the division to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate serious misconduct and to dismiss the officer — a police lieutenant colonel serving as deputy chief investigator at Don Muang station under Division 1 — from government service.
The action followed an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on Oct 6 at the request of investigators from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD).
The warrant was issued for Phasinkhanokpharan Watcharaphetkakkaew on charges of public fraud, impersonation, computer crime involving falsified or misleading data, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and membership of a criminal organisation.
The case dates back to May, when victims reported seeing Facebook advertisements promoting an investment opportunity in stock trading through a platform called “FINNIXMAX”.
Initially, investors could withdraw funds normally, but later, when larger investments were made, withdrawals became impossible — leading victims to realise they had been defrauded. The total reported damages exceeded 1.2 million baht.
Police investigations led to the issuance of arrest warrants for 24 suspects, resulting in the apprehension of 16 individuals and one detainee already in prison. Officers also seized a large amount of assets, including nine vehicles, 48 branded bags and jewellery items, cash in various currencies worth 295,920 baht, 23 mobile phones and electronic devices, and 92 bank books and ATM cards — with a total estimated value exceeding 21 million baht.
Investigators later sought warrants for five additional suspects connected to the scam.
On Oct 7, TCSD officers, together with other police units, conducted coordinated raids at six locations in Bangkok and Udon Thani, leading to further arrests and the collection of evidence linked to the online fraud ring.