Three injured when pickup truck 'smuggling Burmese migrants crashes in police chase'
Published date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:47:44 +0700
Three people were injured when a pickup carrying migrants crashed during a dramatic police chase in Thailand.
The migrants were allegedly being smuggled in a white Isuzu D-Max when highway police signalled the suspicious vehicle to stop in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province on October 22.
But instead of complying, the pickup raced away, sparking a high-speed chase along Asia Highway.
Dashcam footage shows the pickup weaving through traffic as it sped away from pursuing police for nearly three miles.
But it reportedly lost control and slammed into the back of a six-wheeler before veering off the road.
The Burmese pickup truck driver, Wai Wai Thu, 25, was seen scrambling out of the wreckage and trying to flee on foot. He was immediately caught by police.
Officials said two other civilian vehicles were also damaged in the crash.
Three injured people, including the pickup driver, one migrant, and the truck driver, were taken to hospital for treatment.
Police arrested five Burmese migrants found in the pickup. Another Burmese driver, Wai Yan The, 27, was also detained for allegedly driving a scout car that led the convoy.
Wai Yan The told investigators that he had been hired to lead the pickup carrying the migrants, receiving 6,000 baht for fuel and 4,000 baht in wages, totalling 10,000 baht.
He claimed he did not know how many migrants were travelling in the pickup.
He said the group had been transported from Mae Sot district in Tak province towards Bangkok, with the journey beginning on the evening of October 21.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Supakorn Tangkaprasert, Chief of Highway Police Station 1, said officers were checking the migrants' immigration documents and legal status.
He added: 'We are also investigating to identify the employers and the wider network behind the illegal smuggling operation, and will take legal action against everyone involved.'
