Captain Chonlathai Rattanaruang, commander of the Chiang Rai-based Navy patrol unit on the Mekong River, said the two unidentified men were caught driving the truck on to a boat at 3.30am 400 metres away from the Chiang Saen District Office.

As officers inspected the truck, the two men reportedly confessed to trying to export the truck to Laos without legal papers. They were arrested and the truck impounded as police investigated whether the truck was stolen.