Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has denied reports that a Belarusian model who came to Bangkok for work was “forced” to travel to Myanmar, where she was allegedly killed by a scam gang that harvested and sold her organs on the black market.
The case first surfaced in the Russian media outlet Mash and was later picked up by international tabloids including the Daily Mail and The Sun, circulating widely across social media last week.
The reports claimed that 26-year-old Vera Kravtsova travelled from Belarus to Thailand in September for a modelling job interview in Bangkok. She was then allegedly taken against her will to Myanmar, where she was forced to work at a scam centre.
“Her duties included being beautiful, serving her ‘masters’, and scamming rich people,” Mash reported.
When Kravtsova failed to meet her targets, she was reportedly tortured and killed before her organs were harvested and sold. The gang allegedly demanded $500,000 from her family for the return of her remains, but later refused and told her parents she had been cremated.
The reports said the killing took place somewhere in northern Myanmar, without providing further details. Information about her time in Bangkok, including who she met or whether she completed any modelling work, also remains unclear.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee, spokesperson for the Immigration Bureau, said on Tuesday that investigations confirmed Kravtsova was not “forced” to cross into Myanmar from Thailand.
He said Kravtsova arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 14 and departed on Thai Airways flight TG 301 to Yangon at 7:20am on September 20. CCTV footage showed her passing through Thai immigration via the automatic channel alone, without signs of coercion.
“The reported brutal incidents happened after the model flew to Myanmar,” Pol Maj Gen Choengron said. “Thai police have no jurisdiction over what occurred there.”
Immigration police have handed over evidence of Kravtsova’s arrival and departure to the Consulate of Belarus in Thailand.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron added that the Immigration Bureau has implemented strict screening measures to prevent foreigners from being lured into scam operations and to stop suspected criminals from entering Thailand visa-free.
He said around 34,000 individuals have been denied entry into the country so far this year.
