Navy arrests six Chinese nationals trying to cross into Cambodia
Authorities said the arrest highlighted active cross-border networks linked to transnational crime and cyber scams, which take advantage of the New Year travel rush to evade checks.
- The Royal Thai Navy arrested six Chinese nationals in Chanthaburi province for attempting to illegally cross the border from Thailand into Cambodia.
- The arrests highlight the continued activity of cross-border smuggling networks linked to transnational crime and cyber scam operations.
- Authorities noted that these criminal networks often exploit the busy New Year travel period to make illegal crossings harder to detect.
- In response, the Thai Navy will increase surveillance and enforcement along the eastern border to prevent Thailand from being used as a transit route for criminal networks.
RAdm Parach Rattanachaiyapan, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, said on Wednesday (December 31) that naval forces under the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command (CTBDC) arrested six Chinese nationals in a border area of Pong Nam Ron district, Chanthaburi province, on Tuesday (December 30) as they allegedly attempted to leave Thailand illegally for Cambodia.
He said the case underlined the continued presence of cross-border smuggling networks linked to transnational crime and cyber scam operations, which exploit the New Year period, when travel is heavy, and conditions can make checks harder to enforce.
The navy said the detainees were handled strictly in line with the law, including Thailand’s Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act 2022, with officials instructed to respect human dignity, protect basic rights and provide humanitarian care, while ensuring transparent and fair legal proceedings.
The Royal Thai Navy, through the CTBDC, which is responsible for security along Thailand’s eastern border, said it would continue integrating operations with other security agencies and step up surveillance and enforcement to prevent illegal cross-border movement and ensure Thailand is not used as a transit route or support base for transnational criminal networks.
