An illegal ice cream empire run by Cambodian migrants melted away yesterday after a dramatic raid in Udon Thani uncovered a secret stash of freezers and sidecar motorcycles. The suspects, who were hoping for a sweet escape from poverty, now face deportation.
The raid took place at 1.40pm yesterday, July 31, in the Don Udom community, after District Chief Chawit Pongkhan received tip-offs from residents and local leaders about suspicious foreign ice cream vendors gathering at a house. Chawit quickly dispatched local official Chatcha Thanataworachot, along with police, military personnel, and labour officials, to investigate.
At the scene, authorities discovered eight Cambodian nationals—five men and three women—operating a makeshift ice cream storage facility hidden behind concrete walls and green shade cloth. The premises housed a staggering 50 ice cream freezers brimming with various flavours, alongside seven motorcycles fitted with sidecars and 10 pushcarts, clearly prepared for extensive street sales.
Upon checking their documents, police found that seven Cambodians possessed passports, all overstayed, while one lacked any form of documentation. When questioned, the group revealed they had initially entered Thailand around 10 years ago, working in construction across Bangkok and Nonthaburi before moving unsuccessfully to Roi Et province in search of employment.
A Thai contact later suggested selling ice cream in Udon Thani, prompting the Cambodians to pay 3,000 baht for a pickup truck ride to the city on July 28. Despite plans to earn a daily wage of 300 baht, the group became fearful of arrest and hesitated to begin sales.
“We just wanted to stay in Thailand to earn money. If we return to Cambodia, nothing is waiting for us—only farming.”
While expressing awareness of recent border tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, the arrested suspects declined to comment politically, simply wishing for peaceful relations.
“We just don’t want trouble. We want peace so nobody suffers.”
Chatcha confirmed that the raid followed multiple complaints from residents about foreign workers illegally selling ice cream from motorcycles. He explained that under Thai law—the Royal Decree on the Management of Foreign Workers’ Employment 2017—foreign nationals are strictly prohibited from street vending without explicit permission, KhaoSod reported.
All eight suspects were taken into custody at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, where their vehicles were also seized. Drug tests were negative. Police confirmed the Cambodians would face legal proceedings followed by deportation.
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