Authorities arrested 42 illegal workers in two cases; the suspects confessed they wanted to work in Thailand’s inner provinces and paid brokers tens of thousands of baht depending on the distance.
On 9 Mar 2026, reporters reported that Waritta Sanguansermsri, Governor of Kanchanaburi, along with Pol. Maj. Gen. Pasavee Rueangphu, Commander of Kanchanaburi Provincial Police, Pol. Col. Santhat Loyangkul, Deputy Commander, Pol. Col. Santi Pitaksakul, Chief of Sangkhla Buri Police Station, Col. Pansak Priewpanich, Commander of Lat Ya Task Force, Surasi Group/Commander of RTA 29, and Col. Piyanet Patrasasawatwong, Deputy Commander of Lat Ya Task Force, ordered officers from Sangkhla Buri Police, Border Patrol Police 134, Immigration Kanchanaburi, local administration, and Lat Ya military task force to strictly monitor and crack down on illegal entry of Myanmar foreign workers at the Nam Keek joint checkpoint, Village 8, Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri district, Kanchanaburi. They also coordinated patrols along natural routes per government policy.
At 21:30 on 8 Mar 2026, officers at the Nam Keek joint checkpoint divided forces to patrol various routes. In the forest behind the highland agricultural area, Village 8, Nong Lu Subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri, they found a suspicious group hiding. The officers signaled and identified themselves, arresting 24 people: 14 men and 10 women. None spoke Thai or had any documents. The detainees were taken for questioning at Sangkhla Buri Police Station before legal proceedings.
Later at 23:30 the same night, while patrolling near the forest behind Wat Nam Keek, Village 8, Nong Lu Subdistrict, a large group was found hiding. Officers identified themselves and arrested 18 people: 10 men and 8 women. None could present ID or legal stay documents and none spoke Thai. They were brought to Sangkhla Buri Police Station for questioning through a translator.
The 42 detainees from both cases, through a translator, admitted they entered Thailand via natural routes to work in inner provinces. Each paid brokers varying fees—some between 15,000 and 20,000 baht, others up to 30,000 baht—depending on the distance.
While hiding in the forest waiting for accomplices to pick them up, they were arrested by authorities. After confessing, the detainees were transferred to Sangkhla Buri police for prosecution on the charge of "being foreign nationals entering and residing in Thailand without permission."