Around 1am, Muang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station was informed about a white Toyota van suspected to be carrying undocumented foreigners. When police checked the vehicle, they found seven males and seven females from Laos inside.

Patiphon Chantakhet, 54, the driver, said that he was contacted to bring them into Bangkok for a payment of between Bt15,000 and Bt20,000.

The passengers reportedly paid Bt4,000 each to get the deal done. They were screened for temperature but all were found to be free from fever.

The driver was charged with facilitating illegal entry into the country by immigrants. Police said they would tighten patrolling along the border to prevent a similar case.

Undocumented Laotians who sneaked into country to be deported

Fourteen Laotian immigrants who had paid Bt4,000 each to enter Thailand were arrested in Ubon Ratchathani province on Sunday (September 13) and were awaiting deportation to their homeland.