On June 23rd, immigration police in Songkhla province arrested four Thai nationals who were involved in transporting 19 illegal Bangladeshi migrants. The group was intercepted while traveling in five cars in Bang Klam district, following a tip-off from informants.
Immigration Police Chase and Arrest
The informants revealed that the illegal migrants were being transported from Samut Prakan to Malaysia via Songkhla. At around 5:30 pm, immigration police chased the five cars – a black Toyota Innova, a grey Toyota Altis, a red Toyota Altis, a Toyota Fortuner, and a Toyota Camry – successfully stopping them on the Asian highway between Rattaphum and Bang Klam districts.
The Detained Individuals
Four Thai drivers, including a woman and three men, were arrested. The woman, Falada Suriyachat, 48, was from Pathum Thani province. The men were Kittisak Mangkorn, 49, from Kanchanaburi; Rangsan Supan, 27, from Yasothon; and Sunthorn Kanungnit, 43, from Nakhon Ratchasima. The fifth driver managed to escape.
Bangladeshi Migrants’ Journey
The 19 Bangladeshi migrants were found in the five vehicles. During the police interrogation, the drivers revealed that they were hired by a man named Somchai to transport the migrants from Samut Prakan to Songkhla at a rate of 2,500 baht per head.
The Bangladeshi migrants stated that they had initially traveled by air to Cambodia, before illegally crossing the border into Thailand on Wednesday. They were then transported to Samut Prakan. Each migrant paid 350,000 takas (approximately 110,000 baht) to job brokers, who promised to find them employment in Malaysia.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
The Thai drivers were charged with providing shelter to foreigners who entered the country illegally. The Bangladeshi nationals were handed over to Bang Klam police station, where they faced legal proceedings on charges of illegal entry, pending repatriation.
