TRAT, Thailand — Police in Khlong Yai district arrested nine Chinese nationals, including Xiao Chen, 26, from Yunnan Province, for alleged links to the KK Park cybercrime compound in Myanmar. The group was found hiding at a beachfront resort in Trat and reportedly preparing to flee Thailand by boat.
According to Pol Col Pichit Phuensan, chief of Mai Rut police station, officers searched the Ban Chuen Beach area after a tip from resort staff about suspicious foreigners. When police raided a two-bedroom suite, they found the men without passports or identification documents. Authorities also seized 48 mobile phones, with the room littered with cigarette butts and food waste.
Initial questioning was difficult due to the language barrier, prompting investigators to bring in a Chinese-language interpreter. Through translation, Xiao Chen admitted that the group had been sent to Trat and was waiting for someone to pick them up.
A forensic check of the seized phones revealed apps linked to online gambling, money laundering, and recruitment scams. Some data had been deleted, suggesting attempts to destroy evidence.
Investigators believe the suspects escaped from the KK Park scam hub in Myanmar’s Myawaddy region and entered Thailand through a smuggling route, intending to reach Cambodia next.
Resort employee Somjai told police two Thai men had booked the suite with cash and Bangkok-registered vehicles, saying more guests would arrive later.
The case has drawn attention from several Thai agencies, including the Royal Thai Navy, military intelligence, and immigration police. Pol Col Kittiporn Paopiasub, Trat’s immigration chief, confirmed additional officers and interpreters have been deployed to assist in the ongoing investigation.
