Laos handed over 40 Thai suspects involved in an online gambling call center scam across the border back to Thailand, emphasizing the strong relationship between the two countries.
At 14:00 on 2 November 2026 GMT+7, at the Nam Nguong Thai-Laos Friendship Bridge immigration checkpoint, Ban Nakraseng, Ahee Subdistrict, Tha Li District, Loei Province, officers from the Sayabouli Provincial Command in Laos delivered 40 Thai suspects involved in telecommunications and online gambling fraud. Among them were 27 men and 13 women. Mr. Phasin Nachaichote, Tha Li District Chief, along with immigration, military, police, and Tha Li police station officers, arrived to take custody of the suspects.
This handover resulted from coordination initiated by the Sayabouli Provincial Administrative Committee of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, signed by Duangta Chaiwut, committee representative, addressed to the Governor of Loei Province. The letter concerned the repatriation of 40 Thai nationals who had illegally entered Laos and committed offenses by forming telecom and online gambling fraud gangs. It emphasized this cooperation as an honor and a means to maintain long-lasting good relations between Sayabouli Province and Loei Province, Thailand.
Subsequently, immigration officers escorted all 40 Thais to the Territorial Defense Volunteer Battalion headquarters in Loei City, Loei Province, which served as a screening center. Mr. Chaiphot Jaroonpong, Governor of Loei Province, assigned Mr. Kittikun Butkoon, Deputy Governor, to lead a multidisciplinary team to investigate following legal procedures. Should the suspects be found guilty under Thai law, legal action will proceed accordingly.
The close cooperation between Thai immigration and Laotian security agencies highlights effective information exchange and joint integration. This collaboration not only helps combat transnational crime and enhance safety for citizens of both countries but also strengthens and sustains the good relations along the border.