CHIANG RAI, Thailand – Thai Immigration authorities have dismantled a suspected Thai-based smuggling network accused of helping Chinese nationals illegally travel from Cambodia through Thailand and onward to Malaysia, with several suspects arrested in coordinated operations across multiple provinces.
On August 25, Immigration officers in Chiang Rai took 69-year-old Nikhom, a suspect wanted under a Songkhla Provincial Court arrest warrant issued on August 4, into custody. He was later taken to Na Mom Police Station in Songkhla for legal proceedings. Nikhom faces charges of acting as an organiser, accomplice or employer in providing accommodation and assistance to foreign nationals who entered Thailand illegally in order to help them evade arrest by authorities.
The investigation began after Songkhla Immigration officers received information on June 7 that a resort in Na Mom district was being used as a temporary holding location for foreign nationals who had illegally entered Thailand. When officers inspected the resort, they found six Chinese nationals and one Myanmar national, along with more than 20 mobile phones. The group was detained and questioned as officers expanded their investigation.
Authorities said the investigation found that the group had travelled from Cambodia and entered Thailand illegally before planning to continue to Malaysia. Investigators believe the network operated through a clearly divided structure involving overseas financiers, people arranging vehicles and accommodation, and others responsible for moving migrants through natural routes and across the border.
The Chinese nationals were allegedly charged 65,000 baht each for the journey. Investigators estimate the network had been operating for more than a year, with money circulating through the operation potentially reaching 6–10 million baht. According to investigators, a man known as “Bang Dee” allegedly acted as the main coordinator, receiving instructions from overseas financiers and arranging the movement of people. Nikhom and another suspect, identified as Sombat, allegedly arranged vehicles to transport the migrants to the resort in Songkhla.
Once the migrants reached the resort, another suspect known as “Habib,” described by authorities as a close associate of Bang Dee, allegedly took over and arranged their movement out of Thailand.
Investigators subsequently gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants for four suspects. Nikhom was located at a house in Pa O Don Chai subdistrict, Mueang Chiang Rai district, where Chiang Rai Immigration officers arrested him before transferring him to investigators in Songkhla.
Other members of the alleged network were also arrested in separate operations. Habib was arrested by Yala Immigration officers and officers from the Investigation Division 2 of the Southern Border Provinces Police Operations Centre in Yala.
Sombat was arrested in Ayutthaya by investigators from Investigation Division 1 of the Immigration Bureau, Ayutthaya Immigration officers and Highway Police. Bang Dee, identified by investigators as the alleged main organiser, was arrested by Narathiwat Immigration officers, investigators from Immigration Investigation Division 6 and local security authorities at a checkpoint in Narathiwat while he was travelling through the area. Authorities said all of the suspects arrested in the case are now facing legal proceedings.
