Thai Fake Ambulances Stopped Carrying Cambodian Workers Home

Bangkok: Fourteen Cambodian workers were caught in rented fake ambulances driving from Bangkok to the Cambodian border.

Three Thais pretending to be doctors and had put lettering over minivans saying they were ambulances to transport 14 Cambodian workers with the intention of returning to Cambodia, but were arrested by Thai police and two vehicles were seized.

Thai police stopped the vehicle on Tuesday in Chanthaburi province on the Thai-Cambodian border, according to a Thai police official who spoke at a news conference on July 13, 2021. They were heading to Battambang and Pailin provinces. According to the Thai police, three Thai nationals were wearing PPE gear and redesigned their vehicles to look like ambulances and had “Ambulance” inscribed on them. The Thai police official said that the 14 Cambodian workers were arrested included 5 children). 12 had legal visas and 2 had no visas.

According to the preliminary investigation, the workers were working in the area where COVID broke out in Bangkok, and authorities closed the area. They raised 25,000 baht ($760) to hire the three Thais to transport them. The Thai nationals and 14 Cambodian workers at the time of arrest were tested for COVID, with 3 workers having positive results. The Cambodian workers are currently being treated by Thai police at a hospital fwhile the three Thais are being prosecuted. [Thai media]