Chiang Rai officials detain 12 Chinese nationals after illegal border crossings
Border officials in the northern province of Chiang Rai have caught 12 Chinese nationals, in 3 separate operations, after the men entered Thailand illegally. According to a Bangkok Post report, the arrests happened in the Chiang Khong and Chiang Saen districts of the province in recent days. The detainees claimed they worked in casinos in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos and chose to journey through Thailand because its good infrastructure made travel more convenient.
On Friday, officials detained 4 Chinese nationals who were travelling by boat from Laos. It’s understood the boat had been contracted to drop them off in Ban Sop Yam, in the district of Chiang Saen. They have been named as 24-year-old Xiao Zhuzhuo, 20-year-old Song He, 20-year-old Chen Jun, and 19-uear-old Zhang Hao.
On Saturday night, border officials on patrol in Chiang Saen arrested another 2 Chinese men, who were identified as 37-year-old Sun Lei and 34-year-old Ji Wei. The men were detained after being seen walking a trail in the Ban Don Mahawan area of Chiang Khong district, having illegally crossed into the country.
The Bangkok Post reports that another 6 Chinese nationals were detained on Sunday morning after they were found walking another trail in a village on the Mekong River. They have been named as 28-year-old Lai Zi, 29-year-old Ni Shigeng, 28-year-old Wu Zengming, 26-year-old Xian Anpei, 24-year-old Xiao Zhuzhuo, and 30-year-old Yang Yong.
All 12 detainees have been charged with illegal entry into Thailand and violating the communicable disease law.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
