Authorities are preparing to receive 162 Thais stranded in Cambodia back to Thailand through the Ban Laem permanent checkpoint in Chanthaburi province. Among them, six individuals carry outstanding arrest warrants.
On 3 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Police General Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner-General of the Royal Thai Police, traveled to oversee and supervise the orderly reception of Thai workers being deported from Cambodia.
At 08:42, on the Cambodian side (Ban Dong checkpoint) in Battambang province, opposite the Ban Laem permanent checkpoint, observers saw four buses arrive along with numerous officials present to monitor the situation.
Initially, Thai officials prepared a screening area for the group reported to be deported, totaling 162 people. Among them, six have outstanding warrants—two related to Royal Thai Embassy cases and four from general courts. Officials have checked the warrants and planned immediate detention for those crossing with warrants.
For this reception, officials arranged a waiting area and social welfare officers to interview and screen individuals, distinguishing victims from those who intentionally crossed for work. Illegal border crossers will be fined and prosecuted by immigration authorities according to the law.