Tourist Police Arrest Myanmar Man Smuggling 9 Foreigners

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Tourist police have arrested a 27-year-old Myanmar man for allegedly smuggling eight Chinese nationals and one Malaysian into Thailand, following an operation in Samut Prakan on 12 December. Officers intercepted the group at a hotel car park in Bang Phli District, where the suspects were found travelling in a Toyota Revo pickup, along with a handmade firearm and three .380mm bullets. The arrest disrupted an attempt by the travellers to flee intensified crackdowns on call-centre scam syndicates in Myanmar and move onward to a third country.

The operation followed intelligence indicating that foreign nationals would be transported from Mae Sot in Tak Province to the hotel car park. Police surveillance confirmed the arrival of the target vehicle before the group disembarked, prompting officers to reveal themselves and make the arrests. The suspects were immediately taken into custody for questioning and further processing.

During interrogation, the driver, identified as Neduloak, admitted transporting the passengers from Nakhon Sawan to Samut Prakan for a payment of 2,000 baht. The Chinese and Malaysian nationals stated they had illegally crossed into Thailand via Mae Sot to escape a severe crackdown by Myanmar authorities on scam networks. All individuals were handed over to Bang Kaew Police Station in Samut Prakan for legal action in accordance with Thai law.

Police said the incident highlights ongoing attempts by foreign criminal groups to use Thailand as a transit point while evading law enforcement in neighbouring countries. Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuak-am, Commissioner of the Tourist Police Bureau, ordered increased vigilance and strengthened operations targeting illegal migration, unlawful business activities, and transnational crime. He emphasised that Thailand maintains strict safety standards for all visitors and is working closely with national special-crime centres to ensure rapid intervention when threats arise.

Authorities confirmed they will continue coordinating with the Special Crime Suppression Centre, the Anti-Human Trafficking Centre, and the National Police Operations Centre. These agencies provide 24-hour support for monitoring, intelligence gathering, and operational direction to prevent similar cases. Officials also encouraged the public and tourists to report suspicious activities via the Thailand Tourist Police Application or the 1155 hotline.

Daily News reported that police are expected to intensify operations targeting smuggling networks facilitating illegal entries from Myanmar and other neighbouring countries. Further investigations will focus on identifying organisers, financiers, and cross-border links connected to the detained group. Authorities say more arrests are possible as enforcement teams expand their monitoring efforts and pursue intelligence indicating additional movements toward Thailand.

Key Takeaways

• Tourist police arrested a Myanmar driver and nine foreign nationals in Samut Prakan after they entered Thailand illegally.

• The group claimed to be fleeing Myanmar’s crackdown on call-centre scam syndicates and intended to travel to a third country.

• Police leadership has ordered heightened vigilance and strengthened cooperation among national crime-suppression centres.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Dailynews 2025-12-13