Governor faces police complaint

Activist lawyer, Achariya Ruangrattanapong, filed a police complaint yesterday accusing the Kanchanaburi provincial governor and local police dereliction of duty by failing to clamp down on human trafficking from Myanmar.

Mr Achariya, chairman of the Help Crime Victim Club, also provided the names of witnesses he claimed would be willing to provide information about the masterminds behind the smuggling rings and corruption within official circles, including money paid to let illegal workers enter the country.

“There is a connection between this labour smuggling ring with the migrants in Samut Sakhon province. There are records showing that many illegal workers there crossed the border in Sai Yok and Sangkhla Buri districts in Kanchanaburi province,” Mr Achariya told the media yesterday.

He lodged complaints against the provincial governor and the superintendent of Sangkhla Buri police and other police officials.

He also claimed the smuggling syndicate was powerful and was linked to a privy councillor and national politician, without providing any names.

Meanwhile in Tak, provincial governor Pongrat Piromrat yesterday ratcheted up Covid-19 prevention measures on cross-border trade and traffic, including via the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge.

The regulations prevent unauthorised people entering goods drop-off areas near the border and require lorries from Thailand heading to Myanmar to return across the border the same day and no later than 6.30pm.

Firms that violate the rule must pay for their drivers to undergo quarantining for 14 days.