SA KAEO: Two Nigerians who had made their way through Vietnam and Cambodia and into Thailand without visas were caught and charged with illegal entry after a car chase near the border late on Monday afternoon.
The incident began about 4.30pm when a squad from the 12th Ranger Regiment’s special task force patrolling at Rong Kluea border market in Aranyaprathet district spotted two black men acting in a suspicious manner.
Seeing the rangers walking towards them and signaling for them to stop, the two men walked away and then hurried off in a taxi, which prompted a pursuit.
The taxi was seen speeding along Si Phen Road heading towards Ban Pa Rai. It failed to stop at two checkpoints before being eventually halted at a third one, in Ban Pa Rai.
The suspects were detained and taken to Khlong Luek police station for questioning. They were identified by their passports as Reginald Chidiebere Uzoho, 27, and Chinaka Christian Ibemere, 31, from Nigeria.
The suspects told investigators they had travelled from Vietnam through Cambodia and their destination was Bangkok. But when police examined their passports they were not stamped either in Vietnam or Cambodia. They were then charged with illegal entry.
The taxi driver, Wan Thongkhan, 58, told police he was parked at the market when the two Nigerians showed up along with a Cambodian man, who offered him 3,000 baht to take the two foreigners to Bangkok.
Before he could decide whether or not to accept the fare he saw a group of rangers running towards him and the passengers then forced him to drive away.
No illegal goods were found in their bags.
