Seven held after Songkhla migrant-smuggling probe

Five people have been arrested in Songkhla after police stopped two vehicles carrying three Chinese nationals allegedly heading towards the Malaysian border after entering Thailand illegally.

Two people who later approached immigration officers to seek the Chinese men's release were also detained after police said an investigation linked them to the cross-border smuggling operation.

Vehicles stopped on Asian Highway 2

The arrests took place on Asian Highway 2 in Tha Chang, Bang Klam district, Songkhla. Immigration Police Region 6, tourist police and Bang Klam police jointly stopped two suspicious vehicles.

The two Thai drivers, identified only as 39-year-old Thaweewit and 46-year-old Athit, were arrested along with the three Chinese passengers found concealed in the cars.

Police said the drivers admitted they had been hired by a broker for 30,000 baht to collect the three men and take them to a hotel in Sadao district, near the Thai-Malaysian border.

Through an interpreter, the Chinese nationals said they had crossed into Thailand from Cambodia through a natural border crossing in Sa Kaeo province. They said they had then been moved in stages by vehicle and intended to continue to Malaysia for illegal work.

Alleged brokers approached officers

While officers were preparing arrest records and screening potential victims at Songkhla Immigration, a 31-year-old Malaysian man, identified as Mohmad, and a 38-year-old Vietnamese woman, named Nguyen Thi Than, approached the arresting team.

Police said the pair attempted to negotiate and offer money for the release of the three Chinese men.

Lt Col Pongsiri Phithak, the Songkhla Immigration inspector leading the arrest team, delayed the discussion while investigators checked telephone records and other technological evidence, police said.

The investigation allegedly showed that the Malaysian and Vietnamese suspects were the brokers who directed pick-up and drop-off locations and were due to take over the operation to move the Chinese nationals into Malaysia. Both were arrested at the immigration office.

The four alleged facilitators - the two Thai drivers, Malaysian man and Vietnamese woman - were charged with jointly providing shelter, concealing or otherwise assisting foreigners who entered Thailand illegally to evade officials.

The three Chinese nationals were charged with entering and remaining in Thailand without permission. All seven suspects, along with the two vehicles, were handed to Bang Klam police for legal action. Officers said they would also pursue a wider investigation and possible asset seizures.

Immigration Police Region 6 spokesman Pol Col Charoenphong Khantiloh said members of the public can report suspected migrant smuggling or foreign nationals breaking the law on Immigration Bureau hotline 1178, weekdays from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

The operation followed national instructions from police chief Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet, relayed through deputy police chief Pol Gen Samran Nuanma, who heads the police centre targeting illegal immigration.

Pictures courtesy of Naewna

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2 August 2026

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