Thailand Arrests 9 in Chonburi Over Alleged Transport to Myanmar Scam Centre
Thailand Arrests 9 in Chonburi Over Alleged Transport to Myanmar Scam Centre
CHONBURI, Sep. 1, 2026 — Thai police have arrested seven Chinese nationals and two Thai drivers in Chonburi after intercepting two vehicles allegedly transporting the group toward a scam operation in Myanmar’s Karen State.
The arrests were made by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) and Highway Police Division, which stopped two vehicles on Highway 344 in Mueang Chonburi District during an operation targeting suspected illegal cross-border transport.
Police seized two vehicles, 14 mobile phones and four damaged passports.
The seven Chinese nationals were charged with entering and remaining in Thailand without permission, while the two Thai drivers face charges of allegedly assisting, harbouring or otherwise helping foreign nationals who entered Thailand illegally to evade arrest.
The arrests followed surveillance conducted under Operation Ghost Driver, a Chonburi highway police operation targeting vehicles suspected of being involved in illegal transportation across borders.
Officers reportedly identified two vehicles—a Toyota Corolla driven by a Thai man identified as Mr O and a Toyota Wish driven by another Thai man identified as Mr W.
A search of the vehicles found seven Chinese nationals who were unable to produce valid passports or other identification documents.
According to police, the two drivers admitted that they had been hired to pick up the group in Makham District, Chanthaburi, and transport them to Bangkok. Each driver was allegedly promised 10,000 baht for the trip.
During questioning, the Chinese nationals reportedly told investigators that they had travelled from Vietnam through Cambodia before entering Thailand on foot through an unofficial natural border crossing in Pong Nam Ron District, Chanthaburi.
Police said the group’s intended destination was Karen State in Myanmar, where they allegedly planned to work at a scam operation.
Further checks reportedly found that one of the seven Chinese nationals was wanted under an arrest warrant issued by Chinese authorities in connection with a telecommunications fraud case.
Police said all nine suspects admitted the allegations.
The suspects were subsequently handed over to investigators at Mueang Chonburi Police Station for further legal proceedings.
