Nearly 400 Thais Caught Illegally Crossing Border In September

Poipet: On September 27, 2021, the Cambodian police arrested more Thais who intended to cross the border into Thailand after sneaking into Cambodia to work in an online casino in Poipet or in online betting in Phnom Penh. They were handed over to the Thai authorities at the Khlong Leuk international border crossing, Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province to follow the health rules.

The Thai side fined each person 800 baht and sent them to a detention center for 14 days according to the instructions of the Ministry of Health to prevent the spread of COVID.

The Thai side in Sa Kaeo province released figures on the number of its nationals who were caught attempting to cross the border to work in Cambodia without permission from the beginning of September until September 27- a total of 379 people.

The number of people who managed to cross undetected is unknown.

At 2am on September 28 alone, Joint Border Patrol Forces found 26 Thai nationals, including 12 women, who had crossed into Prey Chan village, Obi Choan commune, Ochrov district, Banteay Meanchey province ready to come to Poipet to find work.

Authorities further confirmed that the 26 Thais, when questioned by Cambodian authorities, said they were from Thailand. With a Cambodian broker as a guide to walk through the corridor into Cambodia to work in Poipet City.

After the interrogation, the Cambodian authorities took all the Thai workers to quarantine in Thmar Puok district for 14 days to implement the legal procedures of Cambodia. KPT