National —
On January 29th, 2025, security forces in Thong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi, received intelligence about an operation smuggling illegal migrants and methamphetamine near the border.
At 6:00 AM, officers spotted a large group waiting for pickup trucks. When approached, the group fled into the forest, but authorities managed to detain all 118 individuals along with five vehicles. The migrants reportedly admitted to crossing from Sangkhla Buri via natural routes and traveling by boat before being caught. They were handed over to police for legal action.
On the same day, authorities at a Thong Pha Phum checkpoint stopped a suspicious vehicle, discovering 10,000 methamphetamine pills hidden in the fuel tank. The driver, a 32-year-old Myanmar national (whose name was withheld by the police), confessed to smuggling the drugs for a payment of 15,000 baht. He was arrested and taken to the police for prosecution.
Meanwhile, at 2:00 AM, police in Phop Phra, Tak, detained 21 Myanmar nationals illegally entering Thailand. A search uncovered 35 meth pills hidden inside a modified pen tube, purchased in Myanmar for personal use.
The group intended to travel to Samut Prakan and Bangkok, reportedly paying 18,000 baht each for transport. All were handed over for further legal proceedings.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
