Chinese illegal migration to Thailand is surging, posing challenges for police. Recent arrests include a 28-year-old man without entry stamps and a 30-year-old who held up a store. As authorities struggle to manage the influx, economic benefits emerge amid crime concerns.
A 28-year-old Chinese man was arrested in a black Mercedes last Tuesday in Sa Kaeo Province. Police discovered he had entered the kingdom without a stamp on his passport. Certainly, the day before, a 30-year-old Chinese man held up a 7-Eleven store in Bangkok and was bravely taken down by Thai police. At this time, Thailand is in the midst of an immigration wave from China. It appears to have gained steam since the pandemic and is being driven by an increasingly repressive police crackdown by President Xi Jinping’s regime in that country. While this flow of people brings challenges for the Royal Thai Police, it also notably brings economic benefits.
A tip-off on Tuesday last from a ‘secret agent’ or informant in Cambodia led Thai police in Sa Kaeo Province to mount an operation targeting an incoming Chinese illegal migrant.
Indeed, this story comes as an exodus of Chinese people since the pandemic into Thailand appears to be underway.
In short, on Tuesday, police at Khlong Luek Police Station in the eastern province were told that a black Mercedes would be picking up a Chinese traveller in front of a well-known shopping centre. The rendezvous was organised by fixers in Cambodia.
Thai police coordinate operation to intercept an illegal migrant in Sa Kaeo Province
At length, officers from both the Provincial Police and Immigration Bureau coordinated the operation. In short, they were also joined by border patrol police and army forces.
The target point was the Star Plaza Shopping Mall in Aranyaprathet on the border with Cambodia near Poipet.
Afterwards, police intercepted a black Mercedes sedan registered in Bangkok with tinted windows. In brief, it was seen emerging from the car park at the shopping complex. After that, it turned onto the main road and was heading in the direction of the motorway for Bangkok.
At length, the car was intercepted at the Tha Kham traffic light intersection. Police subsequently identified the driver of the car as 32-year-old Ms. Sutthichan Chawintramethanont from Bangkok.
Her passenger was 28-year-old Chen Wangsua from Jiangsu Province in China. At length, this is a coastal Chinese province north of Shanghai.
Illegal entry of Chinese nationals raises concerns for Thai authorities and immigration enforcement
Significantly, however, Mr. Chen did not have entry stamps on his passport. In effect, the Chinese limousine passenger had entered the kingdom illegally.
Afterwards, he was taken in for questioning by police at Khlong Luek Police Station, as well as the driver. Clearly, Mr. Chen likely is one of many cases of people entering Thailand illegally on a daily basis.
Revelations in 2022 and 2023 point towards a large number of Chinese start up businesses in the kingdom. Indeed, a controversy arose this year when a massive billboard in Huai Khwang, Bangkok, appeared in the Chinese language only.
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At length, it advertised passports from various other countries in Asia.
Revelations that emerged after police smashed the huge criminal empire of ‘Du Hao’ or Chaiyanat Kornchayanant in 2023 confirmed the present trend.
In short, the Chinese kingpin appeared to be able to make political donations to the then-ruling party as well as take advantage of corruption within the Immigration Bureau.
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At the same time, while a source of criminality, this influx of Chinese migrants does in the long run contribute to Thailand’s economy.
Firstly, many of the migrants are drawn to Thailand due to crackdowns and the ongoing loss of personal freedom in China due to the Communist Party, particularly under the heavy-handed policing of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Evidence suggests that many of these migrants are entrepreneurs seeking to establish small businesses. In contrast to China, Thailand offers a lot more personal freedom.
At the same time, it still has a prosperous economy that, despite the country’s chronic problems, is presently ticking over and growing marginally each year. Notably, it is estimated that approximately 11-14% of residents of Thailand are ethnic Chinese. Furthermore, up to 40% of the Thai population has links to Chinese migrants.
The challenge facing the Royal Thai Police is to prevent organised Chinese crime from exploiting this movement. Certainly, they are presently doing so and hence the risk. The growth of such networks in both Myanmar and Cambodia has so far been disastrous for these countries.
Understanding Thailand’s complex relationship with Chinese immigration and its implications for crime
Certainly, this may help Western foreigners to understand the nature of Thailand’s affinity to the Chinese community here.
Nonetheless, as the kidnapping and ransom escapades take up more of the time of the Royal Thai Police, there is rising criminality attached to this immigration flow.
Just the day before, Mr. Chen was rudely interrupted by police in Sa Kaeo Province, Police in Bangkok were called to arrest a distressed Chinese man. 30-year-old Mr. Yang Jinxim entered a 7-Eleven convenience store and held it up.
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Crazed on drugs, the hallucinating man claimed he was in danger of being kidnapped for ransom. Police from Sutthisan Police Station responded to the scene.
In short, he could not speak Thai. Afterwards, he was taken into custody by police officers. They had learned he was Chinese from his passport and communicated with him via a language app online.
However, this only came after police charged the culprit and overpowered him. The brave police officers acted despite the fact that the drugged Chinese man was threatening them with a fruit knife. Before he was taken into custody, he was taken for treatment in hospital.
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Further reading:
Chinese police patrols plan dumped by ministers quickly after public backlash threatened to erupt
Police Chief rebuffs reports of Chinese Police being deployed to Thailand to protect tourists
Police chief confirms 2 dead with reports of at least one more fatality in Bangkok mass shooting
14-year-old boy murdered Chinese tourist in a terror attack on Bangkok’s Siam Paragon Centre
Police arrest Chinese kidnapper with similar details to an abduction for ransom case in April
New visa-free regime plan for Chinese tourists will see more criminal elements entering Thailand
Crackdown on crime wave against Chinese tourists in Bangkok as concerns also raised on cannabis
Chinese kidnapping victim held by Immigration police and facing extradition over fraud case
