Yasothon: Yasothon police, in collaboration with immigration authorities and other agencies, intercepted a tour bus heading to Ubon Ratchathani and arrested eight Chinese nationals found to be in the country illegally. Among the items discovered were 91 mobile phones and several cigarettes in a backpack. Despite the overwhelming evidence, the arrested individuals claimed, through an interpreter, that the items did not belong to them and insisted they were merely seeking employment in the region. The authorities discovered that two of the individuals had overstayed their visas, while the remaining six lacked any passport documentation.
According to Thai News Agency, the bus drivers, Mr. Phonlawat and Mr. Mongkol, admitted to picking up the Chinese nationals from an unconventional location following instructions from a middleman. The middleman had arranged online tickets for the group and requested their pick-up at Ban Na Intersection in Kaeng Khoi District, Saraburi Province, deviating from the usual passenger boarding point. The journey from Bangkok to Khemmarat in Ubon Ratchathani Province was interrupted in Yasothon Province when officials, acting on a tip-off regarding illegal smuggling, intercepted the bus. The drivers were subsequently charged with harboring and assisting illegal aliens in evading arrest.
The authorities have charged two of the Chinese nationals with overstaying their visas, while the remaining six face charges of illegal entry without proper documentation. Investigations are underway to explore potential connections to a call center gang, suspecting that the group was relocating to Khemmarat District, a border area, possibly to establish a new operational base. This move comes amidst a nationwide crackdown on call center gangs within Thailand. In addition to the 91 mobile phones, officials also seized a MacBook as part of their evidence collection efforts.