Thai Police arrest 20 suspected Chinese gang members en route to Myanmar's Phaya Thonesu

Thai police arrested 20 suspected members of a Chinese gang, including 18 Chinese men and two Laotian women, on November 11 as they attempted to reach Phaya Thonesu, a city near the Thai-Myanmar border. 

The group was found illegally residing in Sangkhla Buri on the Thai side of the border and was detained after Thai security forces intercepted them near a school in Sangkhla village.

When officers noticed the group, dressed formally on the roadside, they conducted identity checks. The individuals were unable to provide passports or identification documents, leading to their arrest. Thai authorities confirmed that all detainees were connected to a Chinese criminal gang, and investigations are ongoing at the Sangkhla Buri police station.

Thai news sources report that security has been intensified at the military checkpoint between Sangkhla Buri and Phaya Thonesu, resulting in the seizure of weapons and ammunition from a white van traveling from Kanchanaburi.

Residents in Phaya Thonesu  in Myanmar report an increasing influx of Chinese nationals into the area, many of whom are believed to be involved in online gambling and other gaming activities within the region.