BANGKOK: A group of 325 Chinese nationals, detained for illegal entry after fleeing a crackdown on scam operations in Myanmar, rioted at a Thai immigration facility in Mae Sot to resist deportation to China.
During the riot, the detainees vandalised state property, destroyed cell doors, and disabled the CCTV system before authorities used water hoses to bring the situation under control.
Fifteen alleged ringleaders now face property damage charges in Thailand, and all detainees involved will be blacklisted and permanently banned from re-entering the country.
Despite the protest, Thai authorities are coordinating with the Chinese Embassy to expedite the deportation process for the entire group.
Chinese nationals being held for illegal entry after fleeing a crackdown on illicit casinos and scam compounds in Myanmar have staged a riot at an immigration detention facility in Mae Sot, Tak province, in an apparent bid to avoid deportation to China.
The group had been arrested after crossing the border illegally into Thailand via Mae Sot and charged with unlawful entry by immigration police and security agencies.
They were being held pending deportation when the disturbance erupted, during which cells and state property were vandalised.
Pol Maj Gen Choengron Rimpadee, Deputy Commissioner and Spokesperson of the Immigration Bureau, said that at about 11.20pm on Tuesday (Dec 9), a group of Chinese detainees being held at Immigration Detention Centre 2 under Tak Immigration, in Tha Sai Luat subdistrict, Mae Sot district, began protesting.
The 325 detainees involved were part of a larger group who had fled across the border from Myanmar after a major crackdown on casinos and scam operations.
While in custody awaiting deportation, they began to gather and demonstrate inside the facility.
They tried to break the metal bars of their holding rooms using only their bare hands and whatever personal items they were allowed to keep, creating serious unrest.
The incident reportedly began with a fight among detainees inside the controlled area, which then escalated into a wider act of collective agitation.
Pol Maj Gen Sarawut Khonyai, Commander of Immigration Division 5, ordered Tak Immigration to coordinate with local security agencies, including Mae Sot Police Station, Tak Provincial Police, military personnel from the Ratchamanu Task Force, and Tha Sai Luat Municipality, which dispatched fire engines and water-spraying equipment.
Administrative officials from Mae Sot district were also placed on standby at the scene to monitor any escalation and to support an appropriate tactical response if the situation worsened.
Tak Immigration arranged for interpreters to negotiate with the group.
However, during this time, the detainees destroyed the inner cell doors and disabled the CCTV system to obstruct monitoring by officers, before using force to damage further barriers inside the building.
Fearing the incident would spiral out of control, officers decided to escalate their response.
Power to the building was cut, and water hoses were used to disperse and suppress the riot.
The situation had been brought under control, and all detainees surrendered at 4.30am on Wednesday (Dec 10).
One detainee, identified as Qian, a Chinese national, suffered multiple open wounds to his head as a result of the initial fight that sparked the disturbance.
He was taken to Mae Sot Hospital for treatment in line with his rights.
Pol Lt Gen Panumas Boonyalug, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, ordered Sarawut to urgently identify and take action against the ringleaders, stressing that they had brazenly destroyed state property in Thailand without fear of the law.
He instructed that key agitators be separated and held under stricter conditions, upgrading their status to that of criminal suspects in lock-up cells.
Support has been requested from police stations across Tak province, while the Immigration Bureau moves to coordinate with the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to expedite the deportation process for the group.
Immigration Division 5 has already detained 15 alleged Chinese ringleaders to face charges of causing damage to property, an offence punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to THB60,000, or both.
Further investigations will determine whether additional detainees should be charged with assault or further property damage.
Authorities have also recorded biometric data for all foreign detainees involved, so they can be placed on a blacklist as prohibited persons and permanently barred from re-entering Thailand under the Immigration Bureau’s system. - The Nation/ANN
