2-11-2024 (BANGKOK) Thai authorities have apprehended three suspects in connection with a human trafficking operation that resulted in the deaths of three Rohingya migrants, marking a significant breakthrough in the ongoing battle against cross-border smuggling networks.
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) confirmed the arrest of alleged ringleader Somkiart Samphaothong, 30, in Chanthaburi province, alongside accomplices Natthawut Niamthong and Phongphitsanu Samphaothong, both aged 20, who were detained in Bangkok.
Division Commander Police Major General Sarut Kwaengsopha revealed that the Lang Suan court had issued arrest warrants for the trio on 30 October, charging them with facilitating illegal entry of migrants into Thailand.
The arrests follow a tragic incident involving 26 Rohingya migrants who were being transported from Myanmar through Mae Sot district. The group was abandoned in Wang Takor, Lang Suan district of Chumphon, after three migrants suffocated due to lack of ventilation in an enclosed pickup truck.
Investigation revealed that Somkiart orchestrated the operation under direction from another Thai national, arranging for the migrants to be collected from Bangkok’s Rom Klao area for transport southward. The ultimate destination was Malaysia, where the Rohingya hoped to find employment.
Following his accomplices’ arrests, Somkiart attempted to evade capture by hiding in a makeshift dwelling at a durian plantation within Khao Sip Ha Chan National Park. However, ATPD officers successfully tracked him to his hideout in Kaeng Hang Maew district.
During interrogation, Somkiart admitted to receiving approximately 3,000 baht per migrant, with his associates paid between 500 and 1,000 baht daily. However, investigators discovered suspicious transactions involving tens of millions of baht across the suspects’ bank accounts, suggesting a more extensive operation.
Police Major General Sarut identified the group as part of a larger trafficking network specialising in smuggling Rohingya through Thailand to Malaysia. “Our investigation continues as we work to identify and apprehend the operation’s masterminds,” he stated.
