Six Vietnamese nationals have been detained in Trat after fleeing an alleged scam operation in Cambodia and crossing illegally into Thailand, with seven others reported missing. The group sought help from Thai marines after escaping through barbed wire along the border. Authorities have charged the six with illegal entry.
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At 10.00am on 18 February 2026, Pol Col Montri Jina, superintendent of Ban Tha Luean Police Station in Takang subdistrict, Mueang district, Trat, led the six Vietnamese to the Trat Provincial Prosecutor to forward the case to the Trat Provincial Court. They had earlier been handed over by Border Patrol Police Unit 117, which received them from the Trat Marine Task Force and the 3rd Marine Ranger Control Unit (Khao Lan).
Capt Thammanoon Wanna, commander of the Trat Marine Task Force, said that on the evening of 17 February more than 13 Vietnamese attempted to flee into Thailand because they could no longer endure being forced to work by a scam gang. Marines on duty reported that the group ran towards the barbed wire frontier barrier, but only six managed to cross, while the whereabouts of the others remain unknown. He added that the military could only pursue charges for illegal entry and had no confirmed information about the alleged scam operation.
Pictures courtesy of Naewna
During questioning, one of the group, Tran Phuoc Tai said they had been lured to work for a Chinese group in a Chinese village in Cambodia more than a year ago with a promised salary of about 12,400 baht per month. Upon arrival, they alleged they were forced to work as scammers without pay, physically abused and had their passports confiscated.
They said they planned their escape with a total of 13 people and ran through the barbed wire to seek help from Thai marines. Only six succeeded in crossing, while the remaining seven are still missing. Officials have charged the six with entering and residing in the Kingdom without permission and transferred them to investigators at Tha Luean Police Station for legal proceedings.
Naewna reported that the case now proceeds through the Thai legal system, while the fate of the seven missing individuals remains unclear. Authorities have not provided further details about any cross-border investigation in the scam centre claims.
Key Takeaways
• Six Vietnamese fled an alleged scam gang in Cambodia and were detained in Trat on 17–18 February 2569.
• They claim they were forced to work without pay for over a year and that seven companions remain missing.
• Thai authorities have charged them with illegal entry and forwarded the case to the provincial court.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now Naewna 19 Feb 2026