A man accused of attempting to smuggle nearly 100 Rohingya migrants out of the country was arrested on Saturday.
Suriya Yodrak from Surat Thani province was apprehended on Saturday morning at his wife’s home in Phangnga’s Khura Buri district, Hua Sai police superintendent Prawit Chanthabut said. A warrant for Mr Suriya’s arrest had been issued by Pak Phanang Provincial Court early last week.
Ninety-eight undocumented Rohingya migrants were discovered on Jan 11 at a road checkpoint in Hua Sai district in Nakhon Si Thammarat after police stopped a convoy of five pickup trucks for a routine search.
The migrants, who were believed to have been on their way to Malaysia, are now being held at a temporary shelter in Nakhon Si Thammarat province.
Two of the pickup drivers — Sawat Phadungchart, 29, from Ranong, and Suthipong Chuaypat, 49, from Surat Thani — were arrested at the scene, while three others managed to flee.
Police said some of the detained Rohingya had identified Mr Suriya as one of the drivers who evaded capture. He has allegedly confessed to attempting to smuggle the migrants out of the country.
Police said they will recommend Mr Suriya be denied bail as they consider him a flight risk. He will be charged with human trafficking offences, which carry serious penalties and increase the likelihood he would attempt to skip bail, Pol Col Prawit said.
Investigators have identified the two others suspects who evaded arrest, but are yet to apprehend them, the superintendent added. Warrants have also been issued for the owners of the five vehicles used to transport the Rohingya, but they have so far failed to report to authorities, Pol Col Prawit said.
Hua Sai police said they have stepped up surveillance at the shelter where the migrants are being held, after three attempted to escape. The three reportedly claimed their Myanmar relatives in Thailand wanted to take them in.