Desperate, jobless Cambodians caught sneaking into Thailand
Six Myanmar nationals were also caught in Sa Kaeo province after crossing illegally from Cambodia. They said they were attempting to return home to Myanmar because there was no work for them in Cambodia.
About 8pm, troops from the Marine Task Force in Chanthaburi raided a house in Ban Khlong Bon of tambon Nong Ta Khong in Pong Nam Ron district, acting on information.
They arrested a Thai national, Somnuek Phadlek, 49, and detained 46 Cambodians he had allegedly led into Thailand along a natural pathway - 16 men, 10 women and 21 children.
The Cambodians said they decided to take the risk of sneaking into Thailand by hiring a Thai smuggler because they had no work, no money and no prospects in their homeland.
Mr Somnuek was being held at Ban Plang police station, accused of helping people enter Thailand illegally. The Cambodians would be sent back home, police said.
In Sa Kaeo, the army's Burapha Task Force arrested a Cambodian smuggler and six Myanmar workers, five men and a woman, in Aranyaprathet district about 9.30pm.
The Myanmar people told officials they were trying to return to Myanmar through Thailand because there was no work in Cambodia, even though they had previously been promised jobs on construction sites. They had paid about 3 million kyat, about 46,000 baht, to the smuggler, they said.
Officials said they were monitoring the situation as there were recent reports that Myanmar nationals had been deceived into working for Cambodian scam gangs and casinos along the border.
On Monday, nine Cambodians arrested
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