Bangkok: The embassy of a European country has taken decisive action by notifying the Immigration Bureau about a company suspected of engaging in visa application forgery. This led to a significant raid on the firm's office, where a large number of falsified documents, including bank statements and forged stamps, were seized. The company allegedly assisted over 400 clients in obtaining European visas using these forged documents, with the total value of services provided exceeding 16 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the police were tipped off by the embassy regarding suspicious documents submitted by Thai nationals applying for visas. The documents, particularly bank statements, were suspected to be forged. On August 17, 2026, Pol. Maj. Gen. Songprot Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Bureau 3, along with other high-ranking officials, announced the results of an arrest following the raid conducted on August 12. The office, located in the Sai Mai district of Bangkok, was found to contain over 20 counterfeit stamps, forged financial documents, and four desktop computers believed to be used in the forgery process.
The investigation, led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Panumas Boonyalak and Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana Nuchanart, revealed irregularities such as mismatched names on bank statements and altered account information. Additionally, a single foreign credit card number was used to sponsor travel expenses for multiple applicants. Numerous forged documents and rubber stamps from commercial banks were confiscated as evidence to further the investigation and identify other individuals involved.
The commander of Immigration Division 3 highlighted that the initial findings indicated over 400 individuals were victimized, each paying 40,000 baht for the forged documents. The company's activities potentially violate several articles of the Penal Code related to document forgery and seal forgery. The precise charges will be determined following a detailed examination of the evidence and investigation files.