Mae Hong Son Customs, together with police from Pratu Muang Police Station and related agencies, seized 3 million baht in cash hidden in a pickup truck. Four suspects claimed the money was to buy Burmese ore but had no declaration documents shown.
On 17 Sep 2026, a reporter reported that at 17:30 on 16 Sep 2026, investigators and enforcement officers from Mae Hong Son Customs, Pratu Muang Police Station, local administrative officials of Khun Yuam district, Mae Hong Son Immigration, and the 3604 Ranger Company, Task Force 36, jointly conducted operations.
They conducted a vehicle search at the temporary trade checkpoint at the Huai Ton Noon crossing, Village 4, Mae Ngao Subdistrict, Khun Yuam District, Mae Hong Son Province.
They observed a red Honda Wave i motorcycle, license plate 1 Kong 5791 Mae Hong Son, ridden by a man leading a grey Toyota pickup truck, license plate YY 4776 Chiang Mai, heading toward the Huai Ton Noon border checkpoint. Suspecting undeclared goods or items prohibited or restricted from export, officials jointly searched the pickup truck, finding three men inside, who were then asked to get out for inspection.
The search revealed 3,000 banknotes of 1,000 baht each, totaling 3,000,000 baht, all packed in one black shoulder bag hidden inside the pickup truck.
All four men were detained: 1. Mr. Saw Min Min, a 34-year-old Burmese national without Thai citizenship, who was the vehicle controller; 2. Mr. Pathawi Jaidee, residing at House No. 196, Village 1, Khun Yuam Subdistrict, Khun Yuam District, Mae Hong Son; 3. Mr. Sar Mar Chan Nue, holding a foreign worker health insurance card, residing at House No. 320/3, Village 1, Khun Yuam Subdistrict, Khun Yuam District, Mae Hong Son; and 4. Mr. Phyoe Wai Soe, the motorcycle lead rider, holding a passenger work permit.
Officials questioned the suspects about the origin of the money. They claimed their company sent them to buy tin ore in Myanmar but lacked any documents to show officials. When asked for customs declaration documents, Mr. Pathawi and associates had none. Carrying such a large amount of Thai currency without declaring it at the checkpoint is believed to be an attempt to smuggle Thai banknotes out of the kingdom without proper customs procedures. Officials informed them that the banknotes had not passed customs procedures and charged them with attempting to export currency without declaration, violating the Ministry of Finance announcement on currency exchange control (No. 6) dated 8 Feb 2017, under the Customs Act B.E. 2560 and related laws.
Officials seized all the banknotes as evidence and detained the four suspects, handing them over to Mae Hong Son Customs for transfer to investigators at Pratu Muang Police Station for legal proceedings.