Bangkok Metropolitan Administration launches the "Central Sweep Operation" ordering 50 districts to inspect foreigners holding pink cards following a surge in residential moves involving these individuals.
On 19 August 2026, Police General Adis Ngamjitsuksri, adviser to the Governor of Bangkok, convened an urgent meeting with executives from the Administrative and Registration Office alongside participants of the 2nd batch of the DOPA N.I.C.E. – Special Agent training program for fiscal year 2026 at Bangkok City Hall (Sao Chingcha), including via teleconference. The meeting aimed to urgently direct investigations into the population registration data concerning residential moves of foreigners holding the pink card (officially the Identification Card for Stateless Persons) beginning with the number 7, suspected of irregularities. This follows up on the ongoing "Central Sweep Operation."
Police General Adis revealed that Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has instructed the Administrative and Registration Office to work with the 50 district registration offices to proactively inspect data on moves by this group, as some areas have seen abnormally high numbers of registrations. Each district is required to regularly report any irregular figures back to central authorities daily.
Initial checks in Din Daeng district reveal clear irregularities, with some houses registering as many as 16 foreigners per residence. Furthermore, reviewing pink card issuance data in Din Daeng from 2017 to 2026 uncovered 3,228 suspicious cases of misuse or improper residential moves. Officials will expedite detailed investigations and verification as soon as possible.
The Governor’s adviser emphasized to all 50 district offices the importance of involving staff trained in the anti-registration security course to ensure thorough, careful, and transparent work. A deadline of 1 September 2026 has been set for districts to submit accurate and complete data. Bangkok will coordinate closely with the Ministry of Interior to pursue legal actions and investigate the underlying networks behind the improper issuance of pink cards.