Thai police shut a secret border gate dubbed the ‘Doraemon Door’ after seizing ฿18 million in cash from a 25-year-old man caught smuggling money from Myanmar. The hidden crossing, used for years at ฿500 per trip, is now welded shut amid a wider crackdown.
More intense border patrols on the Thai–Myanmar border on Monday revealed part of the secret behind how cross-border trade is conducted. A routine checkpoint by the 134th Border Patrol Police stopped a car driven by a 25-year-old man in the Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi province. Inside, officers found nearly ฿18 million—around $548,597 in cash—stuffed into two green canvas bags. The story took an even stranger turn when the suspect led officers to a gate locals call the “Doraemon Door.” This hidden passage allows smugglers and cross-border operatives to access Myanmar without passing through customs. The gate sits on private property, with the back bordering Myanmar and front opening into Thailand.
Police later questioned the man and discovered he had used the gate many times, each time paying the property owner ฿500 to leave it unlocked. On Tuesday, local officials had the portal welded shut and are now actively investigating other similar secret crossings.
Thai authorities have shut a secret cross-border gate after seizing nearly ฿18 million from a man smuggling cash from Myanmar. The suspect, Thanawat, 25, from Ratchaburi, was caught driving a black Toyota Fortuner loaded with cash-filled bags.
Officers at Nam Keik checkpoint found nearly ฿18 million in Thanawat’s SUV hidden inside canvas bags
Police stopped him at Nam Keik checkpoint in Nong Lu subdistrict, Sangkhla Buri, around 9:30 am on May 26. The joint task force included Border Patrol Police Company 134, Lat Ya Task Force, Surasee Task Force, and Sangkhla Buri police. They flagged the car and searched it thoroughly.
Officers found two green cloth bags stuffed with banknotes hidden inside the vehicle. Thanawat immediately failed to explain the money.
Each bag was packed with high-denomination bills. One held 1,990 five-hundred-baht notes and 8,000 thousand-baht notes. The second contained 2,000 five-hundred-baht notes and 7,999 thousand-baht notes. In total, authorities counted ฿17,994,000 in cash.
Thanawat claimed he brought the money from a warehouse in Phaya Thonsu, Myanmar. He said it was to settle a goods transaction via a Thai bank in Sangkhla Buri. However, he did not declare the cash at the border, violating Thailand’s customs laws.
Suspect confessed to using a backyard gate linking directly to Myanmar for ฿500 per crossing regularly
He also confessed to using a secret route across the border for years. The hidden path led through a house in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong, Kaset Phanit Soi 9. The house faces Thailand in the front but opens directly into Myanmar from the back.
Locals call this the “Doraemon Door” – a name inspired by the cartoon cat’s secret portals. According to Thanawat, he used the door weekly for the past 2–3 years. Each time, he paid the property owner ฿500 to open the gate.
After his arrest, police launched an urgent investigation into the smuggling route. On May 27, Kanchanaburi Governor Athisak Intra personally inspected the site. He was joined by top officials from multiple agencies.
The group included Maj Gen Atsadawut Panyarachun, deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 7, and Maj Gen Apichat Sritongkul, commander of Kanchanaburi police. Also present were Col Santi Pitaksakun, superintendent of Sangkhla Buri police, and District Chief Suriyasak Muan-Uam.
House linked to secret gate had warehouse and steel door opening onto Myanmar road with no checkpoint
Together, they visited the suspected house. They found a warehouse behind it, used as a fertiliser storage unit. A zinc-covered steel sliding door connected directly to a road in Myanmar. The illegal crossing point had no customs or immigration control.
Police confirmed Thanawat had used this door many times to sneak in and out. Therefore, they ordered the entrance to be sealed permanently. Technicians welded the gate shut later that day.
The property owner was summoned for questioning. If found complicit, he could face charges for aiding cross-border smuggling.
Thanawat was released on ฿3 million bail. His father is now gathering documents to prove the cash is not linked to illegal activity. However, officials remain suspicious due to the high-risk nature of smuggling cash through hidden routes.
Officials now probing 42 similar homes with Myanmar-facing exits used for stealth cross-border moves
Meanwhile, the case has revealed a much deeper issue. Authorities discovered at least 42 homes and shops in Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong with similar designs. Their backdoors open into Myanmar, allowing people to move freely across the border without checks.
Because of this, border officials are inspecting all 42 properties. If illegal doors are found, they will be welded shut like the Doraemon gate. This marks a major shift in Thailand’s efforts to tighten its western border.
The crackdown follows direct orders from National Police Chief Pol Gen Kittirat Phanphet and Region 7 Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Naiwat Phaothongchit. They have instructed all units to suppress smuggling, drug trafficking, and other cross-border crime.
The task force’s quick action on May 26 is part of this wider campaign. Officers at the Nam Keik checkpoint flagged Thanawat’s SUV and conducted a routine search. The sight of bulging cloth bags immediately raised suspicion.
Upon questioning, Thanawat admitted to transporting undeclared cash into Thailand. He confessed without coercion, police said. He also detailed his use of the secret gate and the fees paid to the house owner.
Thanawat’s undeclared cash violates customs law and could result in jail or massive financial penalties
Under Thailand’s Customs Act, undeclared import of cash is a serious crime. Offenders can face up to 10 years in jail or fines worth four times the smuggled amount.
Although Thanawat insisted the money was from a legal Myanmar warehouse transaction, his method raised red flags. Not only did he avoid customs, but he also moved huge sums repeatedly through a backyard door.
Now, the incident has sparked national attention. Citizens are demanding stricter border control. Many question how long this door remained open without oversight.
In response, the provincial task force has vowed continued raids. Police say they will crack down on all known “backdoor” crossings. Welders have already been deployed to shut similar gates before they’re used again.
Moreover, authorities suspect other smuggling groups may have used the same method. Some might have carried drugs, weapons, or human trafficking victims through the same doors. Thanawat’s case might just be the tip of the iceberg.
Warehouse and house remain under tight surveillance as officers trace owners and check Thanawat’s finances
The fertiliser warehouse is now under surveillance. Officials want to know if other shipments moved through it illegally. Interviews with locals suggest Thanawat wasn’t the only one using the gate.
“People here knew about the door,” one resident said. “It’s not the only one. More houses have the same setup.”
Accordingly, surveillance around Ban Phra Chedi Sam Ong has intensified. Police are mapping door locations and tracing property owners. Anyone found facilitating cross-border movement without authorisation may face criminal charges.
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Thanawat’s father, meanwhile, is working to establish a legitimate source for the ฿18 million. But investigators say they’ll dig deep. They’re checking Thanawat’s financial records and past travel logs. They also want to know what he was really doing with the money from Myanmar—and the nature of the cashflow.
With nearly ฿18 million smuggled in just one trip, the scale of the operation appears large. Border smuggling in this region isn’t new—but this case has blown it wide open.
Now that the Doraemon Door is sealed, the authorities aim to make sure no more “magic portals” are left unchecked.
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