Sa kaeo: Rangers arrested a group of 14 people who illegally entered Thailand, including 9 Thais and 5 Cambodians. Some were tricked into working in Cambodia and others illegally entered Thailand to find work.
According to Thai News Agency, at 4:00 AM today, the 1204th Ranger Company, Control Unit of the 12th Ranger Regiment, apprehended nine Thais and five Cambodians for illegally entering the country. They were apprehended at checkpoints 64-65 in Aranyaprathet District, Sa Kaeo Province.
The arrested Thais informed reporters that they had found a job opportunity on Facebook and made contact with the admin offering it. They agreed on a salary of 15,000 baht per month, which required them to travel to Cambodia. Arrangements were made for a car to pick them up, and during the border crossing, some individuals walked across the water while others took a ferry, as they arrived at different times. Upon arrival in Cambodia, they were made to sit and observe the job, which involved typical admin tasks. Some were
required to have their faces scanned multiple times and to open mule accounts. Non-compliance resulted in threats and physical harm.
On the day of repatriation, they will be notified about the number of people being sent back, and a car will be arranged for their pickup. No compensation will be provided, and each individual is required to pay a fee of 8,000 baht. The reason for their return is a move to Laos for work. As for the Cambodians, they entered Thailand to work at Rong Kluea Market, with a fee of 5,000 baht per person.
The individual who facilitated their entry was Cambodian and worked without pay to settle his father’s debts. He had undertaken this task four times without being caught because he managed to evade capture.
The next step involves taking the suspects to Khlong Nam Sai Police Station for arrest record processing. The police will investigate further to determine whether the employer is guilty of illegally employing Cambodian immigrants.