Cambodians fleeing poverty caught at Thai border in Chanthaburi
The Royal Thai Navy caught a group of Cambodian nationals yesterday, January 13, as they tried to enter Thailand illegally by walking through a forested section of the Chanthaburi border during the night.
The arrests were carried out under the command of the Chanthaburi-Trat Border Protection Command.
According to Royal Thai Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Parat Rattanachaiyaphan, 71 migrants, including men, women, and children, were detained in Pong Nam Ron district by a joint task force comprising the Navy, immigration officers, and local police.
The group had reportedly crossed the border on foot using forested paths at night. During questioning, the migrants said they had fled severe poverty and food shortages in Cambodia, hoping for better conditions in Thailand.
Officers said they treated the group in accordance with humanitarian principles. The migrants were given food, water, and medical assistance before being handed over to immigration officers for legal processing and eventual deportation.
The Royal Thai Navy also emphasised that all procedures followed the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act (2022).
Officials stated that patrols along Thailand’s eastern border will be stepped up to deter further illegal crossings, as part of efforts to protect national security and maintain public order.
Similarly, just last week, the Royal Thai Navy detained 67 Cambodian migrant workers who attempted to illegally cross the Thai border in Chanthaburi province. The group included men, women, and children who officials said were fleeing severe economic hardship, unemployment, and food insecurity in their home communities.
In another similar incident, Thai forces intercepted a truck carrying 37 undocumented Cambodian nationals in Sa Kaeo province after uncovering a smuggling operation that hid migrants inside a six-wheel lorry. Officers believe they created a concealed chamber from foam resembling a tunnel within the truck bed, with panels stacked on top and around the migrants to hide them from detection.
