'Migrant smuggling suspect apprehended in Myanmar'
In a significant development, police in Thailand have arrested a 32-year-old man named Phuri Lertchaiprachim for allegedly smuggling 21 illegal migrants from Myanmar. The arrest took place in Dan Makham Tia district, Kanchanaburi, on Saturday.
The operation began following a tip-off about a migrant smuggling ring in tambon Klondo. Officers spotted three pickup trucks, suspected of being used in the illegal activity. One of the trucks, a Mitsubishi Triton, had its driver flee when officers approached, leaving 11 migrants inside.
Meanwhile, another truck, an Isuzu D-Max, was intercepted, and in it, police found 10 migrants, along with Mr Phuri. Each of these migrants had reportedly paid 20,000 baht to be smuggled into Samut Sakhon to work in factories.
During questioning, Mr Phuri claimed to be a soldier with the Karen National Union, a political organization in Myanmar. It's important to note that the Karen National Union is a group labeled as a terrorist organization by the junta.
The driver of a Ford Ranger abandoned the vehicle and fled into a forest, leaving 11 migrants inside. The arrested individual, Mr Phuri, was charged with harboring and assisting illegal migrants.
The 21 migrants face charges of entering and staying in the kingdom without permission. They revealed they were smuggled into Thailand for work in factories in Samut Sakhon, having traveled from Yangon in Myanmar through Dawei before entering Thailand via a natural crossing.
Mr Phuri held a Thai ID during the arrest, but his name does not appear in the available search results, and the exact period of his arrest is not specified. The arrested individual is identified as the commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, Pol Maj Gen Songklod Krirkkritaya.
This incident underscores the ongoing issue of migrant smuggling in Thailand and the efforts being made by authorities to combat this illegal activity.
