A suspected smuggling ring was disrupted in Sa Kaeo on May 6, leading to the arrest of a Thai pickup driver and the discovery of six Chinese nationals in his vehicle. This operation unfolded after a dramatic 70-kilometer police chase that passed through Prachin Buri, Chachoengsao, and Sa Kaeo. Authorities were tipped off about the smuggling of Chinese nationals from the border to Bangkok, prompting the pursuit.
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Officers initially identified the suspicious grey Toyota pickup on Highway 359 in Prachin Buri’s Si Maha Phot district. When police attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver accelerated, evading capture as he drove through multiple provinces. The chase concluded in the Tha Kasem subdistrict of Mueang district, Sa Kaeo, where officers successfully intercepted the vehicle.
Upon inspecting the pickup, police found the Thai driver, identified as 36-year-old Sutat, along with six Chinese passengers. An interpreter revealed that one passenger had overstayed their visa by 957 days, while the remaining five had no passports and entered Thailand illegally. Sutat confessed to borrowing the pickup and receiving 5,000 baht per trip to transport the individuals from Aranyaprathet district to Bangkok.
Charges were filed against Sutat for assisting foreign nationals to evade arrest, and the Chinese passengers were charged with illegal entry and stay. All suspects have been transferred to Mueang Sa Kaeo Police Station for further legal actions.
Separately, police also arrested another group near the Tak border. Two vehicles were stopped, uncovering seven Chinese nationals, five of whom entered illegally, while two had valid documents.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Thaiger · 07 Mar 2026