SUVARNABHUMI — Immigration authorities at Thailand’s Suvarnabhumi Airport have apprehended two foreign nationals attempting to travel with counterfeit Spanish passports.
In the latest operation, outbound immigration officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport detained two suspects: Mr. Ismail, 30, and Mr. Abdelmalek, 24. Both men were attempting to check in for an Oman Air flight using Spanish passports that appeared irregular, with suspicious entry stamps from Don Mueang Airport.
After detailed inspection, officials discovered the documents lacked proper security watermarks. Visual examination revealed abnormalities in font size and stamp patterns. A subsequent search of the suspects’ belongings uncovered Moroccan passports, which showed they had legally entered Thailand through Suvarnabhumi Airport on February 24, 2025, under a visa exemption program.
During questioning, both men admitted to using counterfeit Spanish passports, which they had obtained through a Moroccan broker. They had traveled through Istanbul, Turkey, and Abu Dhabi, UAE, before arriving in Thailand.
The suspects claimed they had been staying within the airport premises and prayer rooms while awaiting their onward journey to Spain for work opportunities. They explained they had transited through Thailand rather than flying directly because European immigration authorities tend to trust travelers coming from Thailand due to its stringent screening procedures. Both men have been handed over to Suvarnabhumi Police Station for legal proceedings.
Police Major General Choengron Rimpadee, Commander of Immigration Division 2, revealed that the Immigration Bureau Commander has instructed all checkpoints to enhance screening of foreigners, particularly those using the visa exemption program for frequent in-out travel, which contradicts its intended purpose for tourism or short-term visits to Thailand.
The bureau is also focusing on foreigners potentially linked to call center scam networks, such as those frequently traveling to neighboring countries with casinos, having unclear accommodation arrangements, or lacking definite travel plans.
Authorities have been denying entry to approximately 400-500 high-risk foreigners monthly, while maintaining efficient services for legitimate tourists and quality foreign investors to ensure continued confidence in Thailand’s entry-exit procedures.
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