Chinese Man Arrested for Using Fake Immigration Stamp

Pictures courtesy of Matichon 

Immigration officers in Nong Khai arrested a Chinese national attempting to cross into Laos using a counterfeit passport stamp on 18 October 2025. The man, identified as Mr. Deng Ruipeng, was travelling in a car with a Thai driver when officers at the First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge border checkpoint detected irregularities in his travel documents.

At around noon, immigration police led by Pol. Col. Noppadol Rakchat, Superintendent of Nong Khai Immigration, and his team, including Pol. Lt. Col. Thiyanphat Rangsipramanakul and Pol. Lt. Col. Apichat Klatha, were conducting routine outbound checks when the pair arrived in a vehicle with registration from Chiang Mai, intending to cross into Laos. Upon inspecting their passports, officers noticed a suspicious entry stamp marked L0046, which is normally used for incoming travellers, not departures, and belonged to an officer who was not on duty that day.

Both men were detained for further questioning. The Thai driver, identified as Mr. Phongkan, reportedly admitted during interrogation that he had been hired by a Malaysian man, Mr. Chin Boon Sing, to drive Mr. Deng from Terminal Hotel in Pattaya to the Lao border for a payment of 33,000 baht. According to Phongkan’s statement, Mr. Chin told him that the passport had already been “arranged” and that there was no need for additional immigration processing.

Immigration investigators determined that the passport stamp used by Mr. Deng was forged. Authorities charged him with forgery and use of a counterfeit official seal and with entering and attempting to leave Thailand without permission. Officers also initiated proceedings to locate and apprehend other individuals connected to the smuggling network, including the Malaysian suspect believed to have coordinated the operation.

Officials stated that the case highlights a growing concern over transnational criminal networks exploiting Thailand’s land borders to facilitate illegal movement between countries. Immigration authorities have reinforced outbound screening procedures at Nong Khai and other major checkpoints along the Mekong River to curb the use of falsified documents.

Investigations are ongoing to identify the full extent of the forgery operation and determine whether other foreign nationals have been provided similar counterfeit stamps. Police said they will coordinate with Lao and Malaysian authorities to track down the organiser and dismantle the network involved.

Key Takeaways

• A Chinese man, Mr. Deng Ruipeng, was caught attempting to cross into Laos using a fake Thai immigration stamp.

• A Thai driver admitted being paid 33,000 baht by a Malaysian intermediary to transport the suspect.

• Immigration officers have launched a broader probe to uncover the full forgery network.

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Matichon 2025-10-20