Bangkok: Minister Supamas has ordered an urgent crackdown on a "fake airline ticket scam," which has defrauded victims of over 10 million baht by falsely promising flights to Japan, Korea, and Europe. She has directed the Consumer Protection Board (CPB) to expedite the resolution of all related cases and coordinate with the Economic Crime Suppression Division (ECSD) to track down the scammers posing as travel agencies. She also advises consumers to verify certain points before making any financial transfers.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Supamas Isarabhakdi, who is the Minister attached to the Prime Minister's Office and oversees the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB), made the announcement after victims filed complaints with the OCPB. The complaints indicated that the victims had been deceived by an agency selling airline tickets under false pretenses of having airline promotions. The victims never received the tickets and were unable to travel, resulting in damages exceeding 10 million baht.
Ms. Supamas stated that the CPB has received complaints from eight individuals about this fraudulent airline ticket scheme, with total damages surpassing 10 million baht. The scam involved "building credibility," where initial buyers received tickets and traveled as planned, leading to word-of-mouth referrals. However, from April 2016, the company stopped delivering tickets and demanded additional payments for fuel surcharges and airport taxes. Despite further payments, buyers still did not receive tickets, and refund requests were indefinitely delayed. This aligns with the government's measures, prioritized by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, to protect citizens from online fraud.
'I have instructed the CPB to urgently establish a special task force to handle these complaints. A special channel has been opened for victims to access the rights protection process quickly. Currently, officials are summoning consumers and have issued letters requesting meetings with businesses and airlines on May 21, 2026, to provide further facts regarding the case. Mediation may be pursued to encourage refunds, and if an agreement cannot be reached, legal action will be taken immediately on behalf of the consumers. The CPB is not only working on front-end investigations but also back-end work, collecting cases and assisting victims,' Ms. Supamas stated.
Ms. Supamas has also instructed the Secretary-General of the Consumer Protection Board to report progress on consumer assistance every 7 days and to periodically disclose this information to the public to ensure transparency and instill confidence that no complaint will be overlooked.
She reminded the public to adhere to the "3 checks" principle before making a transfer: "Verify identity," "Check prices," and "Check the transfer terms and conditions." Consumers should always verify the authenticity of the agency and avoid unusually cheap tickets or transferring money to personal accounts.
"Anyone exploiting online loopholes to take advantage of consumers will be dealt with seriously by the government and the CPB. Every affected consumer will receive assistance, and I urge the public to carefully verify information before transferring money," Ms. Supamas added.
If consumers feel they have been treated unfairly, they can inquire for more information or file a complaint at the Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) via the OCPB hotline 1166, website www.ocpb.go.th, and the OCPB Connect application.