Eight Chinese nationals and Thai and Lao suspects arrested in illegal river crossing into Thailand
Eight Chinese nationals were arrested over an illegal river crossing into Thailand.
The group were allegedly promised high-paying jobs by a Chinese ringleader before illegally entering Thailand through the Mekong River on the Thai-Laos border.
A Thai suspect, 59, then picked them up near the riverbank in the Tambon Kuan Wan area of Nong Khai province and took them to a resort, where they were staying while awaiting further travel deeper into Thailand.
But immigration police raided the property on October 20, in a crackdown on illegal migrants in the country.
They arrested the eight Chinese suspects, as well as the Thai driver and a Lao man, 48, who had arranged the group's accommodation.
The Thai suspect, 59, claimed he was paid 4,000 baht by a Thai acquaintance to transport the Chinese men to the resort in a grey Toyota Hilux Vigo.
While the Lao suspect allegedly booked rooms and provided meals and drinking water for the group while they waited to continue their journey. He claimed he had been hired by a Thai woman.
During questioning, one of the Chinese nationals, Jiao Wenjin, 23, told officers that a Chinese boss in Laos had arranged their crossing and transport after promising them work in Thailand.
Police said Jiao had a previous illegal entry case under the jurisdiction of the Surin Provincial Court.
The Thai man was charged with assisting foreigners to enter the country illegally and helping them evade arrest.
The Lao suspect was charged with providing shelter and assistance to illegal immigrants, while all eight Chinese nationals were charged with unauthorised entry into the country.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Theeyachapat Rangsipramkul, deputy superintendent of Nong Khai Immigration, said the operation was ordered by Immigration Bureau Commissioner Noppasilp Poonsawat and Immigration Division 4 Commander Police Major General Pairat Pukcharoen as part of a crackdown on illegal entry networks.
He added: 'Nong Khai Provincial Immigration is expanding its investigation to trace the Thai employer and the Chinese mastermind in Laos, intending to investigate the network and bring all those involved to justice.
‘The suspects and seized evidence were handed over to the inquiry officer at Mueang Nong Khai Police Station for further legal proceedings.'
The arrests comes as police crack down on migrant smuggling in Thailand, where suspected human smugglers were allegedly trafficking Chinese nationals into Malaysia to work at scam call centres.
