Thai authorities have arrested a district official and a district employee accused of falsifying civil-registration records linked to Chinese national Mingchen Sun, who is already facing charges connected to military-grade weapons and explosive materials. The arrests were announced during Operation Revealing the Dragon’s Shadow at the National Anti-Corruption Commission Region 5 office in Chiang Mai on Friday, May 15.
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The press conference was led by Deputy Interior Minister Jeseth Thaiseth and attended by officials from the Department of Provincial Administration, anti-corruption agencies, police and the Department of Special Investigation. Jeseth said Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul viewed the case as a serious national security issue involving transnational crime, scammer networks and threats to the country.
Authorities said the alleged falsification of registration records for Sun was not simply a case of identity misuse, but part of what Jeseth described as a “traitorous network” that transferred rights belonging to Thai citizens to a foreign national with concealed or harmful intentions. Sun held a pink non-Thai ID card and was arrested after his vehicle overturned in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri, on May 9.
Police later discovered military-grade weapons, explosive materials and ammunition inside the vehicle and at a residence linked to him. Following the discovery, Anutin ordered an urgent inspection of Sun’s civil-registration records by the Department of Provincial Administration.
The department assigned deputy director-general Witoon Sirinukul and the DOPA N.I.C.E. task force to investigate. Officials said their inquiry found suspicious and abnormal registration records allegedly used to support Sun’s residence and business activities in Thailand.
Investigators also uncovered alleged links to a wider network involving the misuse of ethnic-minority rights and Chinese nationals allegedly connected to scammer operations. Authorities said one key irregularity involved Sun’s transfer into a Chiang Dao district house registration on October 12, 2022, despite claims he had never lived there.
The documents were allegedly prepared by a former Chiang Dao deputy district chief, who now serves in Hot district, Chiang Mai. Investigators further alleged that while serving in Chiang Dao in 2021, the same official oversaw the creation of 445 historical registration records for people with no civil-registration status, with 18 cases believed to have been created unlawfully.
On Friday 15 May 2026, the Region 5 Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases approved arrest warrants for the former Chiang Dao deputy district chief and a Chiang Dao district employee. An integrated task force from five agencies arrested both suspects under the warrants.
The Nation reported that the Department of Provincial Administration has ordered the revocation of the allegedly fraudulent records and disciplinary action against officials connected to the case. Investigators said the probe would continue to expand alongside partner agencies, while broader debate continues over Thailand’s immigration controls, identity-registration systems and visa procedures.
Pictures courtesy of The Nation
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Nation 17 May 2026
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