Thai authorities arrested seven suspects for assisting foreigners in illegally obtaining pink cards by registering them as residents at Din Daeng Flats in Bangkok.
The operation was announced yesterday, August 18, by Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit. He said the operation targeted brokers and state officials who illegally registered foreign nationals as residents at Din Daeng Flats so they could obtain identification cards for people without Thai nationality, better known as pink cards.
He said such practices not only affect access to welfare and resources intended for Thai citizens but could also have wider economic, social and national security implications.
This operation was launched after a crackdown on illegal foreigners in Ayutthaya earlier this year. The information from the previous case led officials to discover irregularities in the issuance of pink cards at Din Daeng District Office.
A random inspection of three rooms in the Din Daeng flats revealed that over 140 people were registered at the addresses.
Some rooms had over 60 people listed as residents, far exceeding the number expected for one household. Most of the residents were found to be Myanmar nationals.
The Din Daeng flats have more than 5,000 rooms, so more than 1,000 people were estimated to be involved in the illegal pink card issuance.
Worasit said the network was divided into four main groups. The first group consisted of Myanmar brokers who collected names and documents from foreign nationals. Thai brokers then took over the process, finding addresses for the foreigners.
The third group consisted of household heads who agreed to allow their addresses to be used to create false registration records. The fourth group involved state officials at Din Daeng District Office who had access to the registration database and approved the issuance of pink cards.
Officials said the alleged arrangements could allow foreign nationals to obtain access to benefits and services on a basis comparable to Thai citizens in the longer term and could potentially provide a route towards applying for Thai nationality.
Seven suspects were arrested during the operation, including three state officials, two household heads and two brokers. Officials said all seven confessed during questioning.
Investigators are now examining financial transactions and other evidence as they seek to identify additional people who may have been involved.
Worasis said this operation was viewed as only the beginning of the investigation. He said similar practices could potentially exist in other areas.
The deputy minister emphasised that Thailand is very happy to welcome foreign nationals if they comply with Thailand’s laws and regulations. If anyone, whether Thai or foreign, becomes involved in an illegal process, action must be taken.
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