Tour Bus Crew Arrested Over Illegal Migrant Smuggling

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Police from The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) have arrested three members of a tour bus crew and detained six undocumented migrants after intercepting a long-distance coach during New Year holiday checks. The operation disrupted an alleged smuggling attempt in which undocumented Myanmar nationals were hidden among passengers travelling from northern Thailand to the central region. Authorities said the arrests highlight intensified enforcement during peak holiday travel periods.

The interception took place in the early hours of 31 December 2025 at around 1.40am on Highway 1 at kilometre markers 700–701, beneath the Northern Interchange bridge in Chomphu subdistrict, Mueang district, Lampang province. Officers from Highway Police Subdivision 2, Company 5, were conducting crime prevention and alcohol checkpoint operations for the New Year 2026 holidays when the bus was stopped for inspection. The vehicle was a DAEWU interprovincial coach registered in Bangkok and operating on the Bangkok–Chiang Mai route.

Inside the bus, officers found 12 Myanmar nationals travelling without tickets and sitting intermingled with regular passengers. Several were concealed in the area behind the driver’s seat and on the aisle floor of the bus. Police determined that six of the 12 migrants were able to present valid documents, while the remaining six had no documentation permitting entry or stay in Thailand.

The three suspects, identified as the driver and two bus staff, were arrested on charges of jointly harbouring or assisting foreign nationals to evade arrest. The six undocumented Myanmar nationals were charged with entering and residing in the Kingdom without permission. The bus was seized as evidence in the case.

During questioning, the driver told police that he had collected the bus’s regular passengers from Chiang Mai Bus Terminal before stopping to pick up the 12 Myanmar nationals outside a convenience store in Chiang Mai province. He admitted they were taken on board without tickets and said he was paid 2,500 baht per person in cash by a broker. According to his statement, the migrants were to be delivered to another broker waiting in Navanakorn, Pathum Thani province.

Daily News reported that the undocumented migrants told investigators they had entered Thailand via Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai province. They said they had arranged with brokers to be transported to Bangkok to seek work. Police said all suspects were handed over for legal proceedings under immigration and criminal law.

Key Takeaways

• Police arrested three tour bus crew members for allegedly assisting undocumented migrants to evade arrest.

• Six Myanmar nationals were charged with illegal entry and residence after being found without documents.

• The interception occurred during heightened New Year holiday security checks in Lampang province.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Dailynews 2026-01-03