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Police Intercept Truck Smuggling 37 Cambodians

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Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Police in Sa Kaeo province have intercepted a lorry carrying 37 Cambodian nationals who had entered Thailand illegally, marking a significant seizure under an ongoing border security operation. The discovery prevented the group from being moved further inland, while the driver escaped before officers arrived. All 37 individuals were taken into custody for immigration offences.

The incident occurred on 9 January in Aranyaprathet district, close to the Thai–Cambodian border. Police from Khlong Luek Police Station and the Sa Kaeo Provincial Investigation Unit were deployed as part of a sustained crackdown on illegal border crossings. The operation was conducted under the campaign known as “Prap Khom Dam Din”.

According to police, officers found a goods lorry parked by a roadside near the Ban Dong Ngu–Pa Rai border area in Moo 7, Pa Rai sub-district. Upon inspection, the rear of the vehicle was found to be stacked with white foam sheets wrapped in plastic, used to conceal the migrants. Inside were 37 Cambodian nationals, comprising 17 men and 20 women.

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All individuals were found to have no valid travel or immigration documents. Police charged them with entering and staying in the Kingdom of Thailand without permission, in line with immigration law. The lorry driver had fled the scene before officers arrived, abandoning the vehicle.

The operation was overseen by Pol Col Jatuporapat Singhathit, Deputy Commander of Sa Kaeo Provincial Police, alongside Pol Col Damrong Iampairoj, Superintendent of the Provincial Investigation Unit, and Pol Col Chuchat Kongmuang, Superintendent of Khlong Luek Police Station. Pol Col Jatuporapat ordered investigators to urgently track down the driver and identify others involved in the smuggling network.

Authorities said the interception highlights the continued use of commercial vehicles to traffic undocumented migrants across border areas. Officials emphasised that such operations are part of broader efforts to disrupt transnational crime and prevent illegal migration routes from becoming established.

Daily News reported that border security agencies, including the 12th Ranger Regiment, are continuing to work jointly with police to intensify patrols and screening measures along vulnerable crossings. The detained migrants remain in police custody pending further legal procedures, while investigations into the smuggling operation continue.

Key Takeaways

• Police intercepted a lorry hiding 37 Cambodian nationals near the Sa Kaeo border on 9 January.

• All migrants lacked legal travel documents and were charged with illegal entry and stay.

• Authorities are pursuing the escaped driver and wider smuggling network under a border crackdown.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from Dailynews 2026-01-10

 

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