White Mitsubishi Pajero with 19 illegal immigrants crashes in Lamphun

A white Mitsubishi Pajero, carrying 19 illegal immigrants, collided with a motorcycle and fled the scene last night in Lamphun. The incident occurred around 8.40pm, yesterday, June 12, injuring a mother and her child at the three-way clock tower intersection in Ban Pa Puai, Ban Hong District.

Officers from Ban Hong Police Station and rescue workers from Phutthaisawan Rescue Unit pursued the vehicle but initially failed to apprehend it. Later, locals reported seeing a damaged white vehicle with a burst front-left tyre driving erratically into Ban Hong Hospital.

Officers arrived at the hospital to find the white Pajero, license plate number กง 4534 from Sukhothai, with a broken front-left tyre. Inside the vehicle were 19 people, including men, women, and one child, identified as Karen, Burmese, and Rohingya nationals, said one of the witnesses.

“We saw the car swerving and heard the tyre burst before it turned into the hospital. It was clear something was wrong.”

Investigations revealed that the group had travelled from the Thai-Myanmar border in Mae Hong Son Province. They had hired the Pajero to transport them to Lamphun City.

The driver had taken the Chom Thong-Ban Hong route before the accident with the motorcycle forced them to flee. Upon reaching the hospital, the tyre burst, prompting the driver to abandon the vehicle and escape, reported KhaoSod.

The police are continuing their search for the driver and are looking into the origins of the fake licence plate. The injured mother and child received medical attention, and their condition is reported to be stable.

In related news, following a tip-off about an immigrant smuggling operation, military and police officials arrested a husband and wife on May 26 for smuggling over 32 illegal immigrants hidden in a modified six-wheel truck loaded with old goods.

Commander of the Lat Ya Task Force, Military Colonel Phongphat Hongsinlak, along with Police Colonel Paitoon Sriwilai, head of the Sangkhla Buri Police Station, and other officials were alerted to the operation.