Highway Police Arrest Driver Smuggling 7 Cambodian Workers
Highway police in Chonburi arrested a 53-year-old driver transporting seven Cambodian migrant workers, four of whom had overstayed their visas by up to nearly four years. The driver confessed to earning 1,000 baht per person and admitted this was his fifth arrest for the same offense. Both the driver and the workers face multiple immigration-related charges.
Highway police arrested a 53-year-old man hired to transport seven Cambodian workers. He confessed to being paid 1,000 baht per head and had been arrested four times before for the same crime.
On October 23, 2026, Pol. Lt. Col. Boonlue Phadungthin, Chief of Highway Police Sub-Division 3, directed Pol. Capt. Narot Yuboon, Deputy Chief of Investigation Unit 3; Pol. Capt. Itthsak Khamkhun, Inspector of Highway Police Sub-Division 2, Unit 3; and Pol. Lt. Col. Bodi Duwanphon, Inspector of Highway Police Sub-Division 2, Unit 3, to lead an arrest team. They detained Mr. Phai-thoon (surname withheld), 53, as he drove a Toyota Innova bearing Chanthaburi license plates, covertly carrying seven Cambodian nationals at the U-turn on Highway 36, kilometers 13–14, in Tambon Pong, Banglamung District, Chonburi.
Officers had been monitoring a convoy of suspicious vehicles believed to be shuttling illegal migrants from border areas into the interior, using both main highways and bypass routes to evade checkpoints. The operation involved scout vehicles, transport vehicles, and constant coordination via the Line messaging app. Intelligence indicated two suspect vehicles had departed Chanthaburi Province bound for Rayong and likely onward to Chonburi. Police surveilled the expected route until both vehicles appeared on Highway 36 heading toward Bangkok, then signaled them to stop at the U-turn point.
The Toyota Innova was driven by Mr. Phai-thoon with seven Cambodian passengers aboard. Document checks revealed four had overstayed their permitted stay — one by 1,344 days, nearly four years. Two held passports but lacked entry stamps, and one had no travel documents at all.
Under questioning, Mr. Phai-thoon stated he had picked up all seven Cambodians in Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi, for delivery to Chonburi, earning 1,000 baht per person. He admitted undertaking similar jobs and being caught four times previously.
He was charged with "assisting, concealing, or facilitating by any means illegal aliens who entered the Kingdom unlawfully to evade arrest." The seven Cambodian workers face charges of "remaining in the Kingdom without permission or after permission expired or was revoked," and "entering and staying in the Kingdom without permission and without a passport or substitute travel document." All suspects were handed to investigators at Nong Prue Police Station for further legal proceedings.
