12 Myanmar migrants found in Fortuner in Ayutthaya

Highway police and immigration officers in Ayutthaya have arrested a Myanmar driver after stopping a Toyota Fortuner carrying 12 undocumented Myanmar men on Rojana Road.

The vehicle was intercepted at kilometre markers 15-16 in Khan Ham subdistrict, Uthai district, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, after officers tracking a suspected people-smuggling network spotted it travelling at speed and appearing heavily loaded.

Police said the operation followed an earlier arrest linked to a network moving foreign workers. Investigators had learned that migrants were allegedly being taken to a resort in Bangkok before being distributed to other areas.

Vehicle stopped on Rojana Road

Police said the Toyota Fortuner, registration from Ratchaburi, had collected workers in northern Thailand and was heading through Ayutthaya towards Bangkok.

The driver was identified as 34-year-old Myanmar national Saw Khin Maung Win. Officers found 12 Myanmar men packed inside the vehicle, none of whom could produce a passport or identity documents.

Picture courtesy of Daily News

During questioning, Saw Khin Maung Win allegedly told officers that at about 4pm on 19 July 2026 he had been contacted through Line by a Thai man known as "Nai Uan". The account used the name "Jing Khon Lor".

He said he had been instructed to collect 12 migrants in Chiang Mai and take them to Bangkok and surrounding provinces, for payment of 3,000 baht per person. He also allegedly admitted knowing the men did not have valid passports or identity documents.

Migrants said they crossed at Mae Sai

Through an interpreter, the 12 men told police they had entered Thailand via a natural border crossing in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, paying about 7,000-8,000 baht each. They acknowledged that they had no passports or documents in place of passports.

Officers said all 12 appeared exhausted and had not eaten during the journey. The driver had reportedly avoided stopping because he feared attracting attention. Police provided food and drinking water before taking the group into custody.

Saw Khin Maung Win was charged with helping foreign nationals whom he knew had entered Thailand unlawfully to stay, hide or evade arrest. The 12 men were charged with entering and remaining in Thailand without permission.

All suspects and the seized vehicle were handed to investigators at Uthai Police Station in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Police said they would continue investigating to identify other alleged members of the network and the people who hired them.

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22 July 2026

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