BANGKOK – A 26-year-old Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport while attempting to board a flight to Vienna using a counterfeit French passport. The arrest, conducted by officers from the Investigation and Suppression Division of Immigration Bureau Region 2, led to the unraveling of a broader document forgery network with international connections.

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The suspect, identified as Mr. Sayanthan, was intercepted during routine pre-departure checks. Following his detention, a subsequent investigation enabled authorities to identify and locate an alleged accomplice, a 39-year-old Swedish-Iraqi dual national known as Mr. Jo. Immigration police arrested Mr. Jo at a hotel in Soi Nana, Bangkok, where they alleged he had supplied the forged passport and assisted with the airline check-in process. His residency permit was immediately revoked, and he now faces charges of jointly forging and using falsified official documents.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Phantana Nuchanart, commenting on the case, stated that the Immigration Bureau is intensifying its crackdown on transnational criminal organizations that exploit Thailand’s status as a major travel hub. He emphasized that such activities not only threaten national security but also risk damaging the country’s international reputation. The arrests are part of a wider, ongoing campaign to enhance border security and combat the use of fraudulent travel documentation.

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Authorities noted that this case underscores persistent concerns regarding criminal networks utilizing sophisticated forgery methods to facilitate illegal movement across Southeast Asia. In response, the Immigration Bureau has strengthened its collaboration with both domestic and international law enforcement agencies to trace the sources and distribution channels of counterfeit passports. Officials reaffirmed that maintaining rigorous vigilance at major airports remains a critical priority to prevent Thailand from being used as a transit point for cross-border criminal operations.

-Thailand News (TN)