Hundreds of workers 'abandoned at airport over fraudulent job scam to work in Australia'

Hundreds of Thai workers sought help after they were allegedly abandoned at an airport by an illegal recruiter who promised them jobs in Australia.

More than 250 workers claimed they paid the recruiter, only identified by her first name Oi, hefty fees of up to 200,000 baht (4,714.30 GBP) each in Bangkok, Thailand, to cover processing documents to work at farms and nursing homes abroad.

They travelled from different provinces and were gathered at a hotel near Suvarnabhumi International Airport on January 2.

However, when they tried to check in on their supposed flight dates on January 4, they were told there was no booking for the tickets they showed.

The worried workers, packed with their heavy luggages as they previously hoped to leave the country for the West, sought help from airport police as they could no longer contact Oi nor her colleague Fah.

Footage shows the alleged victims of a fraudulent job scam as they filed complaints with the airport police. Some of them had to stay at the airport after being left penniless to pay for the recruiter's fees.

Deputy Investigation Officer at the Suvarnabhumi Airport Police Station Police Lieutenant Colonel Chanthan said: 'We advised the victims to file a formal complaint. Given the large number of victims and the high amount of damage, he suggested they report the case to the Crime Suppression Division for a more efficient investigation.'

One of the victims, noodle vendor Narongchai, said: 'Oi told us she works at the Australian Embassy, so she could easily arrange work for us there. She recruited us to work at farms, hotels, nursing homes, and restaurants.'

Narongchai was recruited together with his brother, who made them sign a ten-year job contract.

He added: 'At first, we could still call her phone, and she promised we could fly after a week as she was just working on the medical documents. Then she became unreachable.'

The recruiter allegedly collected 12 million baht (282,858 GBP) from hundreds of workers.

The Ministry of Labor said they are working with the Crime Suppression Division to find the recruiter who was reportedly last seen leaving her home in Bang Na district before disappearing.

Southeast Asia's substantial workforce is eager to find opportunities in developed countries, making them vulnerable to scams that promise high wages and improved living conditions. However, high costs and complicated legal processes for legitimate overseas jobs can push individuals toward informal or fraudulent routes.

(1 THB=0.02GBP)