PATTAYA, Thailand – Chonburi Immigration Police raided a suspected safe house in Soi Sukhumvit Pattaya 57, uncovering 17 Indian nationals, 15 of whom were found to be overstaying their visas, while the remaining two were on valid tourist visas and are currently under investigation for possible links to the overstayers.
Upon entering, officers encountered several Indian men attempting to flee or hide. A thorough search revealed individuals scattered across multiple rooms. While no contraband was found, the setup resembled a holding facility for undocumented migrant workers.
One of the detainees, speaking through an interpreter, claimed they were brought into Thailand by an Indian broker who promised employment in Pattaya. The group had been housed together in the residence while awaiting job placements.
Authorities suspect the house functioned as a “staging shelter” used by traffickers to hide migrant workers before deploying them to various workplaces in the city. Chonburi Immigration is now preparing to deport all 17 individuals and will continue investigating the network behind the operation.
