In a significant operation carried out in the Ubon Ratchathani province, three Chinese immigrants without proper documentation were apprehended while hiding in a border village. The individuals, believed to be waiting for transportation to engage in telecommunication fraud and online gambling activities, were taken into custody. Additionally, a Thai citizen who had been providing shelter to the Chinese immigrants was also arrested during the raid, which occurred yesterday. The operation spanned across five different border villages in the Khemmarat and Pho Sai districts.
Acting on intelligence regarding the presence of illegal Chinese immigrants, a joint operation was led by Pol. Col. Chatchai Samniang, the Ubon Ratchathani immigration chief. The team consisted of soldiers, law enforcement officers, and local government representatives.
The detained Chinese nationals were identified as Jiang Jiang (33 years old), Cheng Mao Sheng (19 years old), and Zao Hui Fan (22 years old). They were discovered in the Khemmarat district. Along with them, a local individual named Phornphana Buddaphan (46 years old) was arrested for harboring the Chinese trio. The foreigners were charged with illegal entry, while Phornphana faced charges for his involvement in hiding them, according to the Bangkok Post.
Police suggested that these men were awaiting transportation to other regions in the north and east, with the aim of joining a telecommunication fraud gang and an online gambling organization believed to be located in a neighboring area. As part of the operation, a van linked to illicit smuggling was seized.
During interrogation, Phornphana admitted to collecting the trio after they were smuggled across from Laos. According to his statement, his residence served as a temporary safe house where they were supposed to stay for a day before being transported to their final destinations. Phornphana allegedly received payment of 4,000 baht (US$113) per individual for his involvement, and this was reportedly his fourth such instance.
According to Pol. Col. Chatchai, these arrests are part of a larger nationwide strategy implemented by national police chief Pol. Gen. Damrongsak Kittiprapas and deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Surachate “Big Joke” Hakparn to crackdown on illegal migration along the northeastern border. It is suspected that illegal Chinese immigrants enter Thai territory to engage in illicit activities and collaborate with questionable businesses. The provincial immigration police chief disclosed that the investigation is expanding to apprehend other Thai individuals involved in the unlawful smuggling of Chinese nationals.
