Sa kaeo: Forty-four Thai citizens recently released from Cambodian prisons were welcomed back to Thailand at the Ban Khlong Luek permanent border crossing in Sa Kaeo Province, only for five of them to be immediately detained due to outstanding arrest warrants.

According to Thai News Agency, the 44 individuals, comprising 27 men, 16 women, and one boy, had received royal pardons from Cambodia. Upon their return to Thailand, authorities discovered that five of them had a total of 11 outstanding arrest warrants. These individuals were promptly handed over to the police for prosecution. Concurrently, Thai authorities deported 35 Cambodian nationals who had illegally entered Thailand in search of employment.

The Eastern Command, together with immigration officers and local administrative officials in Sa Kaeo Province, had temporarily opened the Ban Khlong Luek border crossing to manage the repatriation process efficiently. The Thai-Cambodian Border Coordination Office worked closely with Cambodian authorities to ensure the smooth return of the 44 pardoned Thai citizens. Upon arrival, officials conducted rigorous screening, interviews, and background checks, leading to the detention of the five individuals with outstanding legal issues.

For the remaining 39 Thai nationals, no criminal records were found, allowing authorities to facilitate their safe return to their hometowns. Meanwhile, the deportation of the 35 Cambodian nationals followed standard procedures, including background checks and information recording. Investigations revealed that many of these Cambodians had crossed into Thailand through natural border passages to seek work in interior regions, leading to their eventual detection and deportation.