Navy Nabs 6 Chinese Tied to Cambodian Scam Ring

Picture courtesy of CH7

The Royal Thai Navy has arrested six Chinese nationals and one Thai man in Chanthaburi for illegally crossing the border, with investigators believing the group is linked to an online scam syndicate operating in Cambodia.

The operation took place on 17 August near the permanent border checkpoint in Ban Phak Kard, Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi. Officers from the Chanthaburi Immigration Investigation Unit, Navy Marine Task Force 543 and provincial police investigators jointly intercepted the suspects.

Authorities confirmed the detainees included six Chinese nationals, Mrs Bing, 33; Mr Huang, 40; Mr Lin, 33; Mr Dong, 19; Mr Guang, 20; and Mr Shen, 33, along with a Thai national, 37-year-old Theerasak, a resident of Chanthaburi.

The Chinese nationals were charged with entering and staying in the kingdom without permission. The Thai suspect faces charges of bringing and assisting foreigners to enter Thailand illegally.

Investigators believe the group has ties to a transnational online scam network based across the border in Cambodia. Such criminal operations have been described by Thai authorities as a serious cross-border security threat.

The Navy confirmed that the suspects were formally recorded in an arrest report and referred to prosecutors and the district office before being handed over to Pong Nam Ron police for legal proceedings.

In a statement, the Royal Thai Navy’s Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command pledged to continue tightening border controls and suppressing illegal crossings. It urged the public to report any suspicious activities or signs of human trafficking and scam operations to local military units or nearby police stations.

  Adapted by Asean Now from CH7 2025-08-18