Thai govt warns of military reserve recruitment scams amid border dispute

Deputy government spokesman Anukool Pruksanusak urged people not to believe unverified information from unofficial sources amid the border dispute between Thai and Cambodian troops in the Chong Bok area of Ubon Ratchathani province.

He emphasised that military agencies have no policy to contact citizens via phone calls or request them to add Line accounts for any proceedings.

"The Royal Thai Army has not called for reserve forces. We urge people not to believe messages or individuals falsely claiming this to deceive and exploit them," he stated.

Meanwhile, the Central Investigation Bureau also issued a warning, stating that scammers have been impersonating military personnel, calling citizens and falsely claiming that the recipient's name is listed in the reserve forces. 

They then instruct the individual to contact their supposed affiliated unit and, if they do not wish to enlist, to register for exemption by adding a Line account to communicate with an officer.

The police explained that these scammers provide victims' names, ID numbers, and personal details to gain their trust, making them believe they are interacting with real military authorities. 

Once lured into Line conversations, victims are coerced into submitting personal data under pressure and fear—leading to financial losses and compromised sensitive information.

"We urge the public to rely solely on official government sources for information and refrain from spreading or sharing unverified data to prevent confusion that could spark domestic conflict," Anukool remarked.

"Furthermore, updates on the Thai-Cambodian border situation should be obtained from government agencies or relevant security organisations to ensure the public receives accurate information and can act accordingly."

Reserve forces, or military reservists, are individuals who have previously served in the military but have since returned to civilian life. There are two categories:

• Those who have completed military training from the third year onwards and have registered in active duty until they became reservists.
• Those who were discharged from active duty (conscripted soldiers) upon completing their legally mandated service period.

The process of calling up reserve forces follows these steps:

• The territorial army command notifies the governor of the province where the reservist resides.
• A summons letter is sent to the reservist, instructing them to comply with the order.
• The summoned individual must report to the designated location and time as specified in the letter.