CHIANG RAI – Immigration police officers in Mae Sai arrested a group of Chinese nationals after finding them staying in a rental house near the border. Officers also seized 45 mobile phones and a red-plate Toyota TRAVO pickup that investigators believe was meant to transport the group into Chiang Rai city.
On Saturday, Immigration police in Chiang Rai Province took 11 Chinese nationals into custody, along with two individuals who hold Thai ID cards for people without Thai nationality. Authorities said the operation followed reports that foreign nationals had entered and stayed in Thailand illegally, then hid at a home in Village 4, Wiang Phang Kham Subdistrict, Mae Sai District.
Officers find 11 Chinese nationals inside the house
After officers arrived to check the location, they found 11 Chinese nationals resting inside. Authorities listed the individuals as:
- Fu Guay, 36
- Ta Yi, 32
- Zhao Defa, 31
- SIHBO TIAN, 31
- A Phan, 30
- Bai Qi, 28
- Chao Wen, 18
When officers requested immigration documents, the group could not produce any. They reportedly admitted they crossed illegally into the Mae Sai area on March 5, 2025. As a result, police charged them with entering and staying in Thailand without permission.
Several overstays, including cases exceeding 600 days
In addition to those without documents, police said three other Chinese nationals held passports but had overstayed their permitted time in Thailand:
- HONG JIN QIU, 22, entered via Suvarnabhumi Airport on December 6, 2025, permitted to stay until February 3, 2026, overstayed 31 days
- XIAOBO LIU, 36, entered via Chiang Saen Immigration Checkpoint on May 17, 2024, permitted to stay until June 15, 2024, overstayed more than 629 days
- SONGLEI DONG, 32, entered via Suvarnabhumi Airport on May 27, 2024, permitted to stay until June 25, 2024, overstayed more than 619 days
Officers charged the three with staying in the kingdom after their permission had expired.
Pickup and phones seized, drivers accused of helping the group avoid arrest
Inside the property, officers found 45 mobile phones and a red-plate Toyota TRAVO pickup parked outside. Police identified the driver as Chai, 49, who holds an ID card for a person without Thai nationality and lives in Mae Sai District.
During questioning, Chai reportedly admitted he planned to drive all of the Chinese nationals to Mueang Chiang Rai District for 2,500 baht per trip. He also told officers he had done the same job twice before.
Police also found another man, Ton, 44, holding the same type of ID card. He reportedly admitted he had been hired to watch over the rental home for 500 baht per day.
Authorities charged both men with helping conceal or assist foreigners who entered Thailand illegally, in a way meant to help them avoid arrest. Officers took all suspects into custody and moved forward with legal action, along with the seized vehicle and mobile phones for further examination.
Chinese Entering Chiang Rai Illegally
Immigration officers in northern Thailand, especially around Chiang Rai province, say more Chinese nationals are entering the country illegally, and many appear tied to cross-border scam networks.
Because law enforcement has stepped up pressure on cyber fraud hubs in Myanmar and Cambodia, some suspects head into Thailand instead. They often slip across lightly guarded borders near Tak and other northern crossings without paperwork, hoping to stay off the radar.
Police and immigration teams have already made several arrests in the area. In some cases, they broke up Chinese-run operations accused of cryptocurrency fraud and mixed scams aimed at victims in the US and other countries. Officers also seized stacks of mobile phones and SIM cards believed to support the illegal work.
Overall, the spike matches a wider regional pattern. As multi-country crackdowns target compounds along the border, many scam syndicates, often led by Chinese groups, move their workers into Thailand. As a result, officials have tightened border security and increased immigration checks to slow the flow of these criminal groups.
