KANCHANABURI - Forty-four illegal migrants from Myanmar hoping to get jobs in Malaysia were arrested early Thursday after a fleeing driver abandoned them following a chase in Thong Pha Phum district.
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A patrol consisting of police, soldiers, defence volunteers and local officials spotted a suspicious pickup truck travelling on Highway 323 along the Sangkhla Buri-Kanchanaburi route at about 3.30am and signalled it to stop, but the driver sped off.
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The officers gave chase as far as Radar Hill in tambon Tha Khanun of Thong Pha Phum district, where the driver abandoned the vehicle and fled into the forest.
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Officers tried to follow on foot but were unable to catch up with the fleeing suspect because of the steep terrain, said Chakhrit Tanpirun, chief of Thong Pha Phum district office.
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When they inspected the pickup truck with Kanchanaburi licence plates, the officers found 44 men, women and children crammed into the bed of the pickup truck under a tarpaulin. None of them spoke Thai and no entry documents were found on them.
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During questioning through an interpreter, they said they had entered Thailand via natural border crossings near the Three Pagodas Pass in Sangkhla Buri district.
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They came from various towns, including Payathongzu and Mawlamyine. They had gathered at Payathongzu before being smuggled across the border. They were transported in stages by vehicle and boat to avoid being caught.
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They said they had paid job brokers in Myanmar 75,000 baht each to arrange for them to get jobs in Malaysia.
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All of the migrants were taken to the Thong Pha Phum police station for further questioning and charged with illegal entry.
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Authorities later found the licence plates on the pickup truck were fake. Police investigators have identified the vehicle’s registered owner, who will be summoned for questioning.
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Legal action would be taken against the owner if they are found to be involved in the smuggling of migrant workers.