CHIANG MAI, Thailand – The Department of Provincial Administration, working with five law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies, has launched a large-scale operation in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province, targeting identity fraud linked to transnational crime networks. The operation, known as “Dispersing the Chiang Dao Fog,” seeks to dismantle schemes that allowed ineligible foreign nationals to obtain legal status through corrupt civil registration practices.
Investigators uncovered a coordinated network operating across several districts in Chiang Mai, involving illegal household registration transfers, improper issuance of Thai national ID cards, forged documents, and falsified certifying witnesses. The activities were tied to the abuse of cabinet-approved immigration measures and involved foreign nationals of multiple nationalities, with at least nine individuals clearly identified.
Five suspects were arrested under warrants issued by the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases. Those detained included district and municipal officials, as well as related individuals accused of facilitating the fraudulent process. Searches at three locations resulted in the seizure of official documents, cash, firearms, and other evidence connected to corruption in civil registration systems.
Authorities also found more than 200 applications for identification cards for people without Thai nationality. These cases are now under further examination as investigators expand the inquiry to trace additional links and participants in the network.
Additional inspections revealed irregularities at several registration offices in Chiang Dao district, pointing to an interconnected operation consistent with organized cross-border crime. Officials said the findings involve identity impersonation tied to “grey Chinese” networks, illegal labor laundering, and fraudulent access to government benefits. All relevant evidence has been secured, and legal action will proceed against all parties involved. (NNT)
