Police arrested 12 out of 28 wanted local government officials and civilians in Chiang Mai province for illegally issuing Thai identification cards to foreigners, particularly Chinese nationals.
Officials in the Wiang Haeng sub-district of Chiang Mai illegally issued at least 20,000 ID cards to Chinese nationals living in Thailand without legal status. Each card reportedly costs between 800,000 and 1 million baht.
The case prompted authorities to hold a press conference to address the scope of the corruption and outline the next steps in the crackdown.
The investigation resulted in 28 arrest warrants being issued against the Wiang Haeng District Chief, officials from several local government offices, village leaders, brokers, and a group of illegal foreigners.
Police recently raided 10 targeted locations and arrested 12 suspects. Among those detained was the Wiang Haeng District Chief, Kwanchai Mueangjamnong, who reportedly admitted his involvement.
Thai PBS reported that Wiang Haeng District has long been known as a centre for ID card corruption. The illegal activity dates back to 2011, when a district chief was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. In 2020, another district chief was removed from office, and similar crimes have surfaced again this year.
According to Thai PBS, the method typically involved using the identity details of deceased Thai citizens or residents in remote areas who did not regularly use their ID numbers. Foreigners were then guided to assume these identities to obtain official ID cards.
Wealthier clients of the scheme reportedly purchased DNA test results of Thai citizens, claiming to be their relatives, to secure legal documentation.
Channel 7 reported that the Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, travelled to Chiang Mai to personally monitor the investigation. He told the media that further inquiries would be made to identify more officials involved and expressed his belief that high-ranking figures may also be implicated.
Source: The Nation