Lao woman arrested for 'running mule account network' in Thailand

A Lao woman was arrested in Thailand for allegedly running a mule account network linked to online fraud.

Bounmy Louangsisongkham, 28, was heading to a funeral in Nakhon Ratchasima when she was detained while entering the country through the Nong Khai border checkpoint near Laos, on October 21.

Police said she was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Rayong Provincial Court in 2024 over allegations of 'abetting public fraud through impersonation, entering false data into computer systems, and allowing bank accounts or phone numbers to be used for technology-related crimes'.

The case reportedly involved the use of mule accounts and online fraud.

But the suspect denied any knowledge of the offences, claiming her personal documents may have been misused by criminals.

She told immigration police that she had travelled to Chonburi in eastern Thailand for work in 2023, and used her passport to register a mobile phone number in the country.

She later travelled to South Korea for work in April 2024 before returning to Laos in September 2026.

She denied knowing that her personal documents had been used for illegal activities and said she was unaware of the arrest warrant.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Theeyachapat Rangsipramkul, deputy superintendent of Nong Khai Immigration, said: ‘The suspect claimed she was unaware that anyone had used her personal documents to commit crimes and that an arrest warrant had been issued against her.

‘Her statements remain subject to verification against the facts and evidence in the case file.

‘She has been handed her over to the inquiry officer at Pak Nam Prasae Police Station in Rayong for further legal proceedings.'