CHACHOENGSAO – A group of 35 Cambodians being smuggled to jobs in Thailand were arrested after police stopped a pickup truck in Muang district on Friday morning.
The back of the pickup had been covered with black shade cloth. It was reported to police by people in Phanom Sarakham district who noticed there seemed to be people crowded onto the tray underneath the covering.
Suriyon Meevivat was arrested for smuggling migrant workers to Chachoengsao. (Photo by Sonthanaporn Inchan)
Police stopped the truck 9am on Highway 314 in Muang district.
According to police, driver Suriyon Meevivat, 37, admitted he was hired to collect his passengers from Sa Kaeo on the border around 6am. He had not been informed of the specific destination, and was told to drive to Muang district.
Twenty-one Cambodian men, nine women and five children were packed into the pickup's bed and the benchseat behind the driver.
They told police they had come to Thailand with the intention of working. They had no papers and will be sent back to Cambodia.
Mr Suriyon admitted he had carried illegal migrant workers to Chachoengsao several times. He did not know the person who hired him. He was always called on his mobile phone.
The driver was detained for questioning.