Eleven Arrested Crossing Thai Border From Cambodia
Thai soldiers arrested 11 foreign nationals and one Thai citizen illegally crossing from Cambodia near Sa Kaeo after they allegedly fled unpaid jobs at a Cambodian restaurant and online business.
SA KAEO – On July 5, 2026, Thai soldiers arrested 11 people, including foreign nationals and one Thai citizen, after they illegally crossed into Thailand through a natural border crossing from Cambodia. The group claimed they fled jobs linked to online businesses after not receiving the wages they had been promised.
Troops from Burapha Task Force, together with Khok Sung Task Force and other security agencies, were conducting a border patrol when they spotted the suspects crossing a natural passage near boundary markers 41-42 in Ban Ang Sila, Non Mak Mun subdistrict, Khok Sung district, Sa Kaeo province.
Authorities detained all 11 suspects, identified as seven Bangladeshi nationals, one Chinese national, two Vietnamese nationals, and one Thai national. None carried passports or identification documents.
During questioning, the suspects said they had worked for about three months at a restaurant and online sales business in Poipet, Cambodia. A Chinese contact known as "Mr. Sunwia" had promised them US$200 daily wages, but they never received payment. They also cited intensified Cambodian crackdowns on foreign nationals as their reason for fleeing.
The suspects paid 8,000 baht each to a human smuggling network for their return to Thailand. They were driven from Poipet to the border, where three Cambodian guides led them through the natural crossing. Border patrol officers intercepted the group while the guides escaped.
All 11 suspects were transferred to Khok Sung Police Station for legal proceedings. Authorities are investigating to identify and prosecute smuggling network members and others involved.
