Kanchanaburi: No escape! Soldiers, police, and government officials deployed in a tight force to intercept a van carrying 115 illegal migrant workers. Maj. Gen. Atsawut Panyarachun, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division and Commander of the Surasee Task Force, in collaboration with the Governor of Kanchanaburi Province, revealed that he had been informed by local intelligence operations that there would be an illegal smuggling of foreign workers from the border area of Kanchanaburi Province into the inner region.
According to Thai News Agency, orders were given to Col. Pansak Preawphanit, Commander of the 29th Infantry Regiment, in his capacity as Commander of the Lat Ya Task Force, Surasee Force, along with Col. Piyanes Phattharasasawatwong, Deputy Commander of the Lat Ya Task Force, to deploy personnel with the 135th Border Patrol Police Company, the Thong Pha Phum District Administration, and the Thong Pha Phum Police Station to jointly set up checkpoints to prevent illegal activity.
Later, at 10:30 a.m., while security officials were setting up an irregular checkpoint on Highway 323 in front of Wat U Long, Tha Khanun Subdistrict, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province, they observed three suspicious vans driving from Sangkhla Buri District towards Mueang Kanchanaburi District. They signaled to stop for inspection, but the drivers sped away. Officers pursued them closely until they were finally intercepted in front of Wat Tha Khanun, Village No. 1, Tha Khanun Subdistrict, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province. After a thorough investigation, officers discovered Mr. Suthee, 48, and Mr. Surachai, 40, were the van drivers. The other driver fled before officials could arrive to investigate. Inside the three vans were 113 illegal immigrants of Myanmar nationality (72 men and 41 women). All were unable to communicate in Thai and lacked official identification documents. Officers subsequently detained them.
During questioning, Mr. Suthee and Mr. Surachai revealed that they were paid 4,000 baht to pick up foreigners near the river and transport them to the inner region of Kanchanaburi District. The illegal aliens had traveled from Yangon Province, Myanmar, and illegally entered through a natural route at Ban Bo Yipun in Sangkhlaburi District. They then used natural routes, both land and water, to avoid security checkpoints and enter the inner region. They confessed that they intended to illegally enter Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, and Bangkok to work. They would pay a broker 14,000-18,000 baht each upon arrival, but were apprehended by authorities before they could reach their destinations.
Officers then took the suspects into custody for a background check and transported all three vans and the seized items to Thong Pha Phum Police Station for further investigation and legal action.