Navy arrests two Cambodian men over sneaking onto Thai cargo barge to find work in Thailand
The Thai Navy arrested two Cambodian men who allegedly sneaked onto a cargo barge to find work in Thailand.
Officers were on patrol when they stopped a Thai-flagged vessel to conduct routine checks near Koh Chang island in Trat province.
Navy personnel boarded the boat on August 25 to inspect the crew's IDs.
Seven had valid paperwork, but the remaining two were Cambodian nationals with no valid work documents. The pair were identified as Chan Thu Huon, 52, and Oun Sei, 35, whose work permits had expired in 2020.
They were taken ashore to the First Naval Area Command logistics base before being handed over to Laem Ngop Police Station for prosecution.
Police Colonel Joompot Manyapha, station superintendent, personally collected both suspects for interrogation.
He said: 'During questioning, the men allegedly admitted they had boarded the vessel at Kampong Som, Cambodia, on August 19.
'The coal transport ship was en route from Cambodia to Koh Sichang. Both suspects admitted that they intended to enter Thailand to seek employment.
'They had previously returned to Cambodia during the border conflict but found no jobs or income there after returning.'
The two men are now facing legal action over their alleged illegal entry and employment in Thailand.
