CHUMPHON, Thailand – The police have arrested two suspects in connection with the smuggling of Rohingya migrants that resulted in three deaths, local authorities said on Friday (Oct 18).
The arrests came after 26 Rohingya were abandoned in a forested area in Chumphon province’s Lang Suan district on Thursday evening. Closed-circuit camera footage captured the moment the migrants were left at the site.
Lang Suan police chief, Pol. Col. Chalad Polnakan said that of the 26 migrants, three were found dead and 10 others were in critical condition due to suffocation. The survivors are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
The police have apprehended two Thai suspects near Phetchaburi province while they were attempting to flee. One suspect remains at large, he said.
According to initial investigations, the Rohingya were picked up from Mae Sot district in Tak province, bordering Myanmar on October 14 and transported in closed pickup trucks across the provinces, changing vehicles twice to evade detection. Police are interrogating 16 of the surviving migrants to gather more information about the smuggling operation. Forensic teams are also collecting DNA evidence from the abandoned vehicles used in the operation.
Authorities are investigating possible links to larger human trafficking networks. “We need more time to determine if this incident is connected to previous smuggling cases,” Pol. Col. Chalad added.
The Rohingya, a Muslim minority from Myanmar, often attempt to reach Malaysia or Indonesia by passing through Thailand with the help of smugglers. (TNA)
