Vietnamese man held after Chanthaburi border crossing

A 21-year-old Vietnamese man has been detained after allegedly crossing illegally into Thailand from Cambodia through a cassava field in Chanthaburi province on Sunday morning.

Thai Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyaphan said the man told officers he had been brought towards Thailand for work connected to an online casino, although he said he did not know his eventual destination.

Two escorts fled back towards Cambodia

At 6.15am on 2 August, the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command, working through the Chanthaburi Marine Task Force, was monitoring the border around Ban Poon in Pong Nam Ron district.

Officers spotted three suspicious people making their way from the border through cassava plantations. After the officers identified themselves and moved to check the group, they detained one person.

Picture courtesy of Thaitabloid

The other two ran back towards the Cambodian side. Authorities believe they may have been part of a group organising or facilitating illegal border crossings.

The Vietnamese man had no identity documents, according to the Navy. In his initial account, he said he had previously worked for a casino in Vietnam before his employer sent him to the Cambodian border area.

He was then allegedly assisted across the border into Thailand to take up work related to an online casino. The company was said to have covered all costs.

Trafficking and forced-labour checks under way

The man was handed to investigators at Ban Plang Police Station and Chanthaburi Immigration for legal action. Relevant agencies are also examining whether the case could involve human trafficking or the forced exploitation of migrant labour.

Thailand has repeatedly highlighted concerns over criminal networks operating around the Thai-Cambodian border, including groups linked to online scam and gambling operations. In this case, however, officials said further fact-finding was needed before determining whether trafficking or forced labour was involved.

Navy cites human-rights safeguards

Rear Admiral Parach said the Navy would continue to intensify patrols and efforts to stop illegal crossings along the Thai-Cambodian frontier. The operation is intended to prevent offences including unlawful entry, human trafficking and transnational crime, he said.

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4 August 2026