A thousand Thais had their Songkran holiday ruined when they were scammed and left stranded at Suvarnabhumi Airport by a supplement company, who claimed to have organized a trip to Japan for a fraction of the standard price.
The six-day package tour, by WealthEver company, was reportedly shared and sold by word of mouth via LINE application for prices ranging from THB9,000 – THB20,000. It promised to take travelers to Osaka via a Cathay Pacific flight, allow them to enjoy an onsen experience, get access to Universal Studios theme park, and relax during a five-night stay at Universal Port, a five-star hotel that costs at least THB4,500 per night.
The tour was supposed to be April 11-16. Popular holiday package tours during that time to Japan usually cost at least THB50,000.
Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul said 470 people have filed police complaints, and there will be a press conference later this afternoon.
Bangkok Post reported that WealthEver had actually never been registered as a company and, as the would-be tourists were arriving at the airport and beginning to realize they had been scammed, the company had already taken down their Facebook page.
It is also believed that another group that purchased the fake tour packages will arrive at the airport on Wednesday if they cannot be alerted beforehand.
As of this morning, most people have given up and gone back home. Some families who traveled from other provinces outside Bangkok are reportedly still waiting to secure bus tickets home, Banmuang reported.
