PHICHIT – Forestry police on Friday arrested a Vietnamese man and five Thais at an illegal gold mining site on Panompa Mountain in this northern province.
The raid was prompted by a complaint that a Vietnamese investor had sneaked into the site on the mountain in tambon Nong Phra of Wang Sai Phun district to dig for gold.
The Vietnamese suspect was identified as Duong, 38. The five Thais arrested were Phirabun, 58, Bunyom, 48, Ms Somporn, 45, Patthana, 37, and Sawat, 63. No surnames were released.
Police also seized 39 items of mining equipment including many sacks of ammonium nitrate used for explosives.
The Thai suspects admitted to inviting the foreigner to get involved in mining and helping him get into the site, as gold prices have been rising substantially, said Pol Maj Gen Watcharin Phusit, commander of the police Natural Resource and Environmental Crime Suppression Division.
They were held in custody at the Wang Sai Phun station, with more arrests expected.
An officer points out sacks containing ammonium nitrate used for explosives at the illegal gold mine. (Photo: supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham)