Customs officers in Tak's Mae Sot district have seized 25 tonnes of rice smuggled from Myanmar believed intended for pledging under the government's rice price scheme.
Pongthep Buasap, head of the Mae Sot customs checkpoint, said the smuggled rice was found hidden among another cargo carried by an 18-wheel truck with Tak licence plate number 80-8203 on Tuesday.
Thanom Phukarnthong, the truck driver, told officers at Huay Hin Fon border checkpoint that he was delivering cassava waste from Myanmar. When officers inspected the cargo, they noticed many rice grains under and around the cassava waste. They then discovered the smuggled consignment.
The driver confessed that the rice was to be delivered to Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet provinces, officers said.
Mr Pongthep said he received a report from a security agency that the rice smuggled from Myanmar was initially planned to be part of the Thai government's rice pledging scheme.
Photo by Assawin Pinitwong