Prayut orders smuggler blitz

Prayut orders smuggler blitz

Special panel to probe state officials

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered police to form a special committee to investigate state officials involved in the smuggling of illegal migrants, which has been blamed for the latest Covid-19 outbreak.

Officials who facilitate illegal migration will be prosecuted with no exceptions, Defence Ministry spokesman Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich quoted the prime minister as saying.

The instructions were given at a meeting of the Defence Council chaired by Gen Prayut who is also defence minister, the spokesman said.

Gen Prayut has also instructed all military units to step up surveillance and patrols along the border to prevent illegal entry by land and sea to curb the spread of the coronavirus from neighbouring countries. The prime…