SONGKHLA, May 15 — A Thailand Post worker had tried to dupe the authorities by using the agency’s van to smuggle 13 Myanmar illegals into Malaysia.

However, the tactic was sniffed out by the Thai police and customs in an operation.

Two locals, including a Thailand Post driver, and 13 Myanmar nationals were detained to help in investigations.

In the incident at 12.30am (local time) yesterday, police detected and stopped a suspicious-looking van in Rattaphum, Songkhla.

A police spokesman said an inspection revealed 13 male Myanmar nationals, who entered Thailand without any travel documents, in the van.

"Two Thai nationals were also detained. The suspects admitted to accepting 1,500 Baht to ferry each Myanmar national to Malaysia,” he said.

Police said all the Myanmar nationals, who were from Samut Songkram, would be handed over to middle men in Hatyai before being smuggled in via jungle trails in Padang Besar, Perlis in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Thailand Post said the driver of the agency’s van involved in the incident had been sacked. — Bernama