KANCHANABURI: Forty-five Myanmar nationals were arrested early on Wednesday after three pickups carrying them were intercepted in Thong Pha Phum district, and two crashed while trying to escape.
Other illegal border crossers on the vehicles fled into the roadside forest, police said.
Border patrol police and soldiers from the Lat Ya Task Force flagged down three pickups about 3am on a rural road near U-Long village in tambon Tha Khanun - a Toyota Vigo, a Mitsubishi Triton and an Isuzu D-Max. They had received a report that illegal migrants were being transported along the road.
The three vehicles tried to flee.
The Isuzu D-Max was stopped. The Mitsubishi Triton overturned and six of the migrants travelling on it were injured. The Toyota Vigo crashed into a tree, but wthout causing any major injuries.
Altogether 45 illegal job seekers, including the injured, and a guide were rounded up. An unknown number and two guides escaped into the forest.
All those arrested were handed over to Thong Pha Phum police for legal action.
