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14 Thais Caught Sneaking Home After Cambodian Online Gambling Bust in Poipet

14 Thais Caught Sneaking Home After Cambodian Online Gambling Bust in Poipet

Matichon•Society•1d ago

Reader Briefing

Thai soldiers apprehended 14 Thai nationals attempting to illegally re-enter Thailand after fleeing a crackdown on online gambling operations in Poipet, Cambodia.

  • •14 Thai citizens were intercepted by rangers in Chanthaburi province while attempting to illegally cross the border back from Cambodia.
  • •The individuals had been working as online gambling website administrators in Poipet, Cambodia, but fled due to a severe crackdown by Cambodian authorities.
  • •They were abandoned by their employers and attempted to return to Thailand by trekking through natural border crossings.
  • •The apprehended individuals were charged with illegally entering and exiting the country.

Overview

  • •At 19:00 on May 28, Thai rangers in Chanthaburi province intercepted 14 Thai nationals attempting to illegally cross the border.
  • •The 14 individuals had been working as administrators for the online gambling website 'june888' in Poipet, Cambodia, earning 20,000 THB per month.
  • •Cambodian authorities launched a severe crackdown on scammer networks and online gambling websites in Poipet, causing these operations to shut down.
  • •The shutdown of online gambling sites led to the abandonment of the Thai workers by their employers, leaving them without wages and in hiding.
  • •The group, abandoned in Cambodia, attempted to re-enter Thailand by walking through natural border passes.
  • •Thai Rangers operating in the border area of Ban Marum, Tambon Khlong Yai, Amphoe Pong Nam Ron, Chanthaburi province, apprehended the group.
  • •The apprehended group consisted of 11 males and 3 females, along with their belongings and approximately ten smartphones likely used for administrative work.
  • •The individuals were charged under the Immigration Act B.E. 1979, Articles 11 and 62, for not entering or exiting through designated channels and were handed over to Pong Nam Ron Police Station and Chanthaburi Immigration Bureau for legal proceedings.

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Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Quotes

Suspects
"Cambodian authorities have severely cracked down and searched scammer networks and gambling sites in buildings, resulting in the 'websites collapsing' and gambling pages being closed immediately. Our group was abandoned, with no wages, and had to live in hiding with fear."
ทางการกัมพูชาได้ปราบปรายและปูพรมตรวจค้นขบวนการสแกมเมอร์และเว็บพนันอย่างหนักตามตึกต่างๆ ส่งผลให้ “เว็บแตก” เพจพนันถูกปิดตัวลงทันที กลุ่มพวกตนจึงถูกลอยแพ ไร้เงาเงินค่าจ้าง และต้องอยู่อย่างหลบๆ ซ่อนๆ ด้วยความหวาดกลัว

Key Entities

Place

Cambodia(เขมร)ℹ️
Country where the online gambling operations were based and subsequently cracked down upon.
Poipet(ปอยเปต)ℹ️
City in Cambodia where the online gambling operations were located and faced a crackdown.

Organization

Chanthaburi Rangers(ทหารพรานจันทบุรี)
Military unit that intercepted 14 Thai nationals attempting to illegally re-enter Thailand near the border.
Chantaburi and Trat Border Defence Command (KPC.Jor.Tor.)(กองบัญชาการป้องกันชายแดนจันทบุรีและตราด (กปช.จต.))
Commanding body overseeing border operations in Chanthaburi and Trat provinces which was involved in the interception.
Special Task Force, Chanthaburi Naval Special Warfare (C.Chok.Tor.Tor.Nai.4, etc.)(ฉก.นย.จันทบุรี (ชค.ทพ.นย.4ฯ))
A specific unit under the Chanthaburi and Trat Border Defence Command involved in the patrol and interception.
Infantry Company, Naval Special Warfare 543, etc. (Khlong Pong Nam Ron)(ร้อย.ทพ.นย.543ฯ (คลองโป่งน้ำร้อน))
Another specific unit involved in the patrol and interception operation in the Khlong Pong Nam Ron area.
Cambodian Employers(นายจ้างชาวกัมพูชา)
The employers of the 14 Thai nationals who abandoned them after the crackdown.
Pong Nam Ron Police Station(สภ.โป่งน้ำร้อน)
The police station where the apprehended individuals were taken for further legal proceedings.
Chanthaburi Immigration Bureau(ตม.จว.จันทบุรี)
The immigration bureau in Chanthaburi province involved in handling the legal case of the apprehended Thai nationals.

Law

Immigration Act B.E. 1979(พ.ร.บ.คนเข้าเมือง พ.ศ.1979)
The legislation under which the 14 Thai nationals were charged for illegal entry and exit.
Articles 11 and 62(มาตรา 11 และมาตรา 62)
Specific articles within the Immigration Act B.E. 1979 used to charge the individuals for illegal border crossing.
Act on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture...(พ.ร.บ.ป้องกันการทรมานฯ)
The legislation that authorities affirmed they adhered to, ensuring no violation of dignity during the handling of the apprehended individuals.