Thailand Exposes Durian Fraud Case, Mixing Vietnamese Frozen Durian in Exports to China

According to reports, intelligence revealed that someone was secretly mixing Vietnamese durian into Thai durian exports. Rayong provincial representative Pongsathorn led an investigation team to raid a rubber wood warehouse in Klaeng district.

Investigators discovered two container trucks in the warehouse, one loaded with reportedly Vietnamese peeled durian, and the other an empty truck prepared to head to Laem Chabang Port. A Chinese representative identified as the cargo owner could not present any import or transportation documents, claiming the documents were detained at a factory in Chanthaburi Province.

Police subsequently confirmed that on the night of May 22, three containers were found, with two containing peeled frozen durian that were sealed, and the third container empty and unsealed. A driver initially reluctant to cooperate eventually admitted that a Laem Chabang boss instructed him to load durian into the empty container. It is believed this was done to avoid Chinese customs' detection of chemical residues, especially cadmium, in Vietnamese durian.

China's strict inspections have limited Vietnamese durian exports and caused prices to drop. This has prompted some speculators to mix Vietnamese durian with Thai durian in an attempt to bypass inspections while improving prices.

The Rayong provincial representative has formally filed a lawsuit with the local police, who are currently collecting evidence and preparing to prosecute those involved, aiming to protect Thailand's durian reputation in the international market.

With Thai durian prices falling and orders from China decreasing, there are concerns that oversupply could impact fruit farmers' livelihoods. Durian growers are calling on the government to take action and crack down on such durian fraud.