Chinese Nationals Arrested Near Myanmar Border

Three Chinese men were arrested in Sangkhlaburi district, Kanchanaburi province, after being found without travel documents at a resort near the Three Pagodas Pass border area. Authorities believe the men may have been seeking a route into neighbouring Myanmar, where scammer operations are known to be active.

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At around 4pm on 31 May, officers from Sangkhlaburi Police Station received a report from a resort operator in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Moo 9, Nong Lu subdistrict. The operator said three suspicious men, believed to be Chinese nationals, had entered the resort to shelter from heavy rain, raising concerns they could be linked to criminal networks.

The report was passed to Pol Maj Gen Pasawee Ruangphu, commander of Kanchanaburi Provincial Police, who ordered an immediate investigation. Police patrol officers from the Three Pagodas Pass area joined forces with soldiers from the Lat Ya Task Force under the Surasi Force, Border Patrol Police Unit 134, and local administrative officials to inspect the site.

Officers found three Chinese men identified as Zhong Jianzhong, 26, Zhu Zhongyan, 33 and Meng Xiangdong, 36. The men were sheltering inside the resort when approached by authorities.

During checks, none of the three could produce any travel documents and they were unable to communicate in Thai. They were taken to the Three Pagodas Pass patrol office, where interpreters assisted with questioning before they were transferred to investigators at Sangkhlaburi Police Station.

Initial investigations led authorities to suspect the men may have been attempting to find a way across the border into a neighbouring country, with the eventual destination believed to be areas in Myanmar associated with scammer operations. Security officials noted that similar arrests have been made repeatedly along the border in recent cases.

Authorities said cooperation from hotel and resort operators, as well as local residents in Sangkhlaburi district, has played an important role in identifying suspicious individuals and reporting information quickly. Officials added that such cooperation strengthens efforts to combat transnational crime and disrupt online fraud networks operating near the border.

Manager Online reported that all three were charged with illegally entering and residing in Thailand without permission. Further investigation will continue as police seek to establish how the three men entered Thailand and whether they have any links to wider criminal networks operating in the region.

Picture courtesy of Manager Online

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Adapted by ASEAN Now MGRonline 2 June 2026

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