Authorities coordinated to intercept a "van transporting migrant workers" in Kanchanaburi Province. The van sped away from police, lost control, and mounted the central median. The Thai driver and Myanmar migrants inside, totaling 43 people, were apprehended.
At 05:00 on 5 Aug 2026, under the direction of Pol Maj Gen Pornsak Laorujiralai, Commander of the Highway Police Division, and Pol Col Phakphon Suchon, Commander of Highway Police Division 2, with Pol Lt Col Kritsada Puangpan, Superintendent of Highway Police Station 6, Division 2, a joint force including Highway Police, Border Patrol Police Division 13, military from Surasee Task Force, Immigration Police of Kanchanaburi, Bo Phloi Police Station, and local administration was assembled after receiving intelligence about a smuggling ring aiding illegal migrant workers entering through natural routes in Sangkhla Buri district, Kanchanaburi Province.
The commanders planned the arrest, and at about 04:30 today (5 Aug), a white Toyota van registered in Bangkok, suspected to be carrying migrants, was spotted driving on the Kanchanaburi–Erawan Waterfall road, Mueang Kanchanaburi district, Kanchanaburi Province.
The arrest team identified themselves as police and signaled the van to stop. The driver, upon realizing it was police, acted suspiciously and fled via the Tha Phaniat–Bo Phloi route.
The police pursued and alerted the Bo Phloi Police 191 Radio Center. When the van reached the public road near Ratchadaphisek Temple, Village No. 1, Bo Phloi Subdistrict, Bo Phloi district, Kanchanaburi Province, the van lost control and mounted the central median, making further driving impossible.
The driver fled on foot but was tracked down and arrested. He was identified as Mr. Woraphan Tato, or Ton, 34, from Bangkok, the first suspect.
Inspection of the van revealed 43 Myanmar nationals, suspects 2 to 44, inside. The arrest team requested travel documents, but none of the migrants could present any.
Through an interpreter, suspects 2 to 44 stated they were Myanmar nationals who had illegally entered via natural routes from Bo Nippon village, Phaya Tong Su district, Myanmar, crossing into Sangkhla Buri district, then through Thong Pha Phum and Mueang Kanchanaburi districts, aiming to work in Thailand and Malaysia. Each paid about 96,000–100,000 baht for the journey. Suspect 1 drove the van to pick them up near the Pomelo Garden, Prang Plo subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri district, intending to deliver them to Hat Yai district, Songkhla Province, before being arrested.
Suspect 1 confessed to being hired by a broker named 'Spire'—a contact saved under that name in his phone—to drive the van to pick up suspects 2 to 44 at the Pomelo Garden in Prang Plo subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri district, and deliver them to Hat Yai district, Songkhla Province. He was to be paid 2,500 baht per person upon delivery.
Authorities charged suspect 1 with "harboring, concealing, or assisting illegal immigrants to evade arrest" and suspects 2 to 44 with "being foreigners entering and residing in the kingdom without permission." They were informed of their charges and rights, detained at Bo Phloi Police Station, and will be prosecuted accordingly.