Thai military forces have arrested two Chinese nationals and a Thai guide for illegally entering Thailand in Sa Kaeo province, with a firearm and ammunition seized during the operation. The arrests were made on 16 April 2026 by Burapha Task Force soldiers conducting patrols near the border in Ban Ang Sila, Khok Sung district. Authorities said the suspects were crossing into Thailand via a natural route through sugarcane fields.
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According to Colonel Chainarong Kasee, commander of the Aranyaprathet Task Force, officers stopped a suspicious motorcycle carrying one Thai man and two Chinese passengers. The Chinese nationals, both aged 17, had no passports and claimed they had been working at a restaurant in Poipet, Cambodia, before fleeing due to unpaid wages. The Thai driver, identified as Suriyan Sarnnok, 38, admitted transporting them for 350 baht per person under instructions from another Thai national.
During the arrest, officers discovered a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, identified as a Sig Sauer, without registration, along with a magazine containing eight rounds of ammunition. Investigators said the group had crossed on foot from Cambodia with assistance from local facilitators before being picked up on the Thai side. The suspects were taken to Ranger Company 1205 for questioning before being handed over to Khok Sung police for legal proceedings.
In a separate operation, Border Patrol Police from Unit 12 arrested four Cambodian nationals and two Thai facilitators in Ta Phraya district. The group was intercepted on Road 3446 in Ban Saeng, Thap Sadet subdistrict, while travelling in a white Honda Civic. Authorities charged them with illegal entry and assisting undocumented migrants, before transferring them to Ban Thap Thai police station.
Officials say these arrests highlight ongoing concerns over illegal border crossings and organised smuggling networks operating along the Thai-Cambodian frontier. Security forces have increased patrols in key areas, particularly during periods of heightened movement such as the Songkran holiday.
Kaoded reported that authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing to identify additional individuals involved in the smuggling networks, including those who allegedly recruited and coordinated the movement of the Chinese nationals. Further legal action will proceed in accordance with Thai law.
Pictures courtesy of Kaoded
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Kaoded 17 Apr 2026
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