Thai Man Smuggling Petrol in Kanchanaburi Nabbed En Route to Myanmar

A 56-year-old Thai man was apprehended on April 12 while attempting to smuggle close to 400 litres of petrol concealed under a load of watermelons in a pickup truck. The arrest occurred at a joint checkpoint in Nong Lu subdistrict, Sangkhlaburi district, Kanchanaburi province. The man intended to sell the petrol across the border into Myanmar at a significant profit.

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The operation involved soldiers from the Lard Ya Task Force, Sangkhlaburi Police, Border Patrol Police 134, and local administrative officials. Officers grew suspicious of the vehicle traveling from Thong Pha Phum district towards the Three Pagodas Pass, a known border crossing point for trade, legal and otherwise, between Thailand and Myanmar.

Upon stopping the truck, which appeared to be carrying only watermelons for sale in Sangkhlaburi, police detected a petrol odor. A thorough inspection revealed 14 gallons of Gasohol 95, amounting to 395 litres, hidden beneath the watermelons. Both the fuel and the red Nissan pickup truck were seized.

The man confessed to a plan orchestrated by Myanmar nationals, who hired him to buy petrol in Thong Pha Phum at 54 baht per litre and smuggle it over the border for resale at 70 baht per litre, aiming for a 16 baht profit per litre. Despite utilizing routes to elude authorities, he was intercepted before completing the delivery.

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now · The Thaiger · 13 Apr 2026