Malaysian Man Arrested for Illegal Entry in Nong Khai

A 39-year-old Malaysian man was arrested in Nong Khai province in the early hours of April 15, 2026, for illegally entering Thailand without documentation. Immigration police detained Mr. Kee Weng Seah at a hotel in Phon Phisai district after he failed to produce travel papers. He has been charged with entering the Kingdom without permission and was handed over to investigators at Phon Phisai Police Station for legal proceedings.

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According to officials, the arrest took place at around 02:30 under the direction of Pol Col Noppadol Rakchart and his team from Nong Khai Immigration. The suspect had reportedly crossed into Thailand from Laos via a natural border route along the Mekong River on the evening of April 14. He was transported by a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi from the riverbank to the hotel, where he was waiting for a contact to take him onwards to Bangkok.

During initial questioning, Mr. Kee stated he is from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and had been seeking employment since 2023. He said he responded to a social media job offer for a childcare position with a monthly salary of 24,000 baht. After travelling to Padang Besar for an interview, he claimed he was taken across the border into Hat Yai, Thailand, under the pretext of meeting a Chinese employer.

He alleged that he was drugged during the supposed interview and later regained consciousness in Myanmar, where he was forced to work in a scam call centre operation. He said that in early 2026, a crackdown by Myanmar authorities forced the group to relocate to Laos, specifically to a Chinese community area in Vientiane known as Sunjiang Market. However, plans to re-establish operations reportedly failed, leading him to seek a return to Malaysia.

Mr. Kee stated he paid 50,000 baht, transferred by his younger brother, to a Chinese contact to arrange his journey home. On April 14, he was taken by a Lao national to the Mekong River, crossed into Thailand by boat and was then transported inland. Authorities intercepted him before he could continue his journey to Bangkok and onward to Malaysia.

Matichon reported that police are now gathering further evidence to expand the investigation and identify others involved in the cross-border smuggling network.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Matichon 16 Apr 2026