Chon Buri police arrest 100 migrant workers in construction site raid

Chon Buri Immigration Police conducted a significant raid on a construction site yesterday, leading to the arrest of over 100 migrant workers who now face possible deportation.

This operation was spearheaded by Police Colonel Napaspong Khositasuriyamanee, Chief of Chon Buri Immigration, and took place in Soi Takhian Tia 20, Takhian Tia subdistrict, Bang Lamung district.

During the inspection, the site was found to be populated mainly by workers from Cambodia and Myanmar. Upon noticing the police, many workers panicked and attempted to flee, resulting in a chaotic scene. Despite this, the officers managed to apprehend over 100 individuals.

Among the detainees were four unidentified employers who, along with the workers, were escorted to the Pattaya Immigration Office for further document verification. One of the workers, whose name has been withheld, disclosed that they had entered Thailand clandestinely through a natural route at Ban Laem in Chanthaburi province. The individual cited the ongoing conflict and scarce job opportunities in Myanmar as reasons for seeking refuge in Pattaya and the surrounding regions, where they found work in construction and earned a daily wage of 550 baht.

The raid’s impact was visibly emotional for many, with several Myanmar workers expressing their fear of deportation through tears. Despite the sympathy for their plight, Chon Buri Immigration officers are verifying the workers’ information in the immigration database to determine the legality of their stay and employment in Thailand. Those found without proper documentation will face deportation, reported Pattaya News.

In related news, law enforcement officers raided three herbal product stores in Pattaya on August 7, uncovering a tangled web of deceit, illegal employment, and dubious health claims. The raid was triggered by complaints from the Pattaya Indian Community Association, which accused certain stores of ripping off customers with overpriced and ineffective herbal remedies. It was alleged that these businesses were using foreign nationals to lure unsuspecting buyers into purchasing their overpriced wares.