KANCHANABURI – A Myanmar woman was arrested following a car chase in Sangkhla Buri district on Tuesday night, and nine illegal migrants crammed inside the car she was driving were also detained.
Police, immigration and local officials manning a checkpoint near the border in Sangkhla Buri district signalled a Toyota Vios with Phitsanulok licence plates to stop for a search about 8.30pm on Tuesday.
The vehicle was travelling from the Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong area.
Instead of stopping, the driver made a sudden U-turn and sped away. Police gave chase, Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Chalordet, chief of Kanchanaburi police, said.
The pursuit ended when the car’s movement was blocked in front of a Dynamo shop. The driver, identified only as Mon, 29, a Myanmar national, was detained. There were also nine Myanmar nationals in the car, five men and four women packed tightly together.
During questioning, Ms Mon allegedly admitted through an interpreter that she had picked up the illegal migrants from a forest behind Nam Kerk checkpoint at village Moo 8 in tambon Nong Lu. She had been delivering them to a location in Sangkhla Buri district.
The migrants told offiials they had entered Thailand illegally in the hope of getting jobs in inner provinces.
The arresting team seized the car and the driver’s mobile phone for further investigation of the smuggling network. Ms Mon was charged wih assisting illegal migrants evade arrest, in addition to entering and residing in Thailand unlawfully. The nine migrants were charged with illegal entry and will be sent back.