Thai police intercept pickup with illegal Burmese migrants
Thai police intercepted a pickup truck carrying six illegal Burmese migrants in Kanchanaburi province. Yesterday, January 12, a joint operation involving multiple law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of two Myanmar nationals. They were allegedly paid 3,000 baht per person to transport the undocumented migrants.
Police Major General Nakarin Sukonthawit, commander of Kanchanaburi provincial police, received a tip-off about an operation smuggling illegal migrants into Thailand’s Sangkhla Buri district. A task force, including immigration police, local law enforcement, and military personnel, set up a checkpoint at the Prang Phle subdistrict intersection near Wat Lichia.
At 6.50am, police identified and stopped a white Toyota Revo pickup truck, registration number ผข 9500 Ratchaburi, matching the description provided. The vehicle, heading from Sangkhla Buri to Thong Pha Phum, was flagged down by officers for inspection.
During the search, officers discovered luggage belonging to the migrants in the truck bed. Tuen Win, a 44 year old Myanmar national residing in Ratchaburi, was driving, and Mai, a 27 year old Myanmar national, was seated beside him. Six Burmese migrants were crammed into the back seat, consisting of one man and five women. None of the passengers possessed documentation.
Tuen Win admitted to picking up the migrants at a rendezvous point in a roadside forest area in Sangkhla Buri and was tasked with delivering them to Mueang Kanchanaburi district for a fee of 3,000 baht (US$85) each. Consequently, Tuen Win was apprehended and charged with aiding illegal migrants to evade capture, reported KhaoSod.
Mai faced similar charges of assisting in hiding or helping migrants evade arrest and was also charged with illegal entry and residence in Thailand. The six migrants were charged with illegal entry and residence, and the police seized the pickup truck and mobile phones for further investigation.
In related news, Police in Bang Khun Thian district arrested four Myanmar nationals working as barbers, allegedly taking jobs from Thai citizens. The incident unfolded on December 17, at the ANGEL-20 hair salon located at the end of Nai Riang Market, Bang Bon, Bangkok.
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