UBON RATCHATHANI: Fifty-eight illegal job-seekers from Laos were caught on the bank of the Mekong River in Khong Chiam district as they were preparing to travel to Bangkok on Monday morning.
Capt Nathawat Wichakul, commander of the Ubon Ratchathani Mekong Riverine Unit (MRU), said a combined security force intercepted a white Toyota van shortly after it left Khong Chiam Marina Resort on Phrom Singto road, beside the Mekong river.
There were 27 Lao nationals in the van, who had crossed illegally into Thailand .
Pornthep Chansen, 54, the driver, said he was being paid 3,000 baht to take his passengers to Ubon Ratchathani town, from where they would leave for Bangkok.
A search of four rooms at the resort found another 31 illegal migrants, raising the total to 58 - 27 men and 31 women.
They said they had crossed the Mekong river to the resort on Sunday evening and were to travel to Bangkok on Monday morning, having paid 5,000 baht each to smugglers. They planned to look for work in Bangkok and nearby provinces.
The 58 were taken to Khong Chiam MRU station where they were examined by health officials and were charged with illegal entry.
Under a bilateral agreement, they were to be handed over to Lao immigration officials after going through the legal process.