High-Pay Job Promise Turns Into Nightmare for Two Japanese Men in Thailand
High-Pay Job Promise Turns Into Nightmare for Two Japanese Men in Thailand
BANGKOK, Oct. 3, 2026 — Two Japanese men have been rescued in Thailand after falling for a fake job advertisement promising high pay, only to be smuggled across the country’s western border and forced to work for a call-centre scam gang, Thai police said on October 2.
Both men have been identified as victims of human trafficking and are now receiving protection under Thai law.
Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot announced the rescue alongside officers from Provincial Police Region 2 and Kanchanaburi Provincial Police.
The operation began after Japanese officials requested assistance through the SHIELD system and contacted Thatchai directly. He ordered Thai authorities to immediately coordinate the rescue in accordance with the policy of National Police Chief Pol Gen Samran Nuanma.
Lured by High-Paying Job Advertisement
According to Thatchai, the two men came across a social-media advertisement offering unusually high pay for several days of work in Thailand.
A recruiter subsequently contacted them through a messaging application and offered to cover their flights and accommodation.
When the men later attempted to cancel their trip, they were allegedly threatened with death and warned not to tell their families or anyone else. They eventually travelled to Thailand as tourists.
After arriving, the men were taken from their accommodation toward Thailand’s western border. They were reportedly transferred between several vehicles in an apparent effort to avoid checks before being smuggled across the border into a compound guarded by armed men.
Forced to Make Hundreds of Scam Calls
Inside the compound, the two men were allegedly forced to make hundreds of telephone calls to elderly people in Japan every day.
They were instructed to impersonate government officials, police officers and prosecutors as part of the scam operation.
The men were not paid and had their mobile phones confiscated. They were also threatened with being transferred to another country and told they would have to pay a ransom to secure their release.
The pair eventually managed to contact their families and Japanese government agencies, who then sought assistance from Thai authorities.
The victims told police that the compound was believed to house between 2,000 and 3,000 scam workers, most of whom were Chinese, along with Westerners and other foreign nationals.
According to their account, the operation targeted victims in several countries, including Japan, China and the United States.
Following their return, the two men underwent Thailand’s screening process for trafficking victims. Authorities determined that both qualified as victims of human trafficking and placed them under protection in accordance with Thai law.
Police Warn Foreigners Over Fake Job Offers
Thatchai urged foreigners to exercise caution when responding to overseas job advertisements offering unusually high salaries.
He particularly warned against offers in which recruiters pay for flights and accommodation but instruct applicants to enter Thailand as tourists or under visa-exemption arrangements.
Such arrangements, he said, can be used as a trafficking tactic.
Police advised prospective workers to check Thailand’s immigration and work-permit requirements before accepting employment.
People with concerns about a travel or employment offer can seek advice from immigration officers or tourist police at airports. The Tourist Police hotline, 1155, is available 24 hours a day.
