13 Burmese migrants on way to Malaysia arrested in Thailand

Narinjara News, 18 February 2023

At least 13 Myanmar migrant workers, who were going to work in Malaysia via Thailand were arrested inside Thai territory.

They were detained by the Thai border guard police at Songkhla district located in the southern part of Thailand.

Ko Saw Maung, who has been working on Burmese labour affairs, informed Narinjara News that Songkhla district is a border region between Thailand and Malaysia.

“Songkhla and Mala are not very far from the Malaysia border. It takes a few hours by a car to reach Malay. That area is in the border locality of Thailand and Malaysia. They were arrested when they almost arrived in Malaysia,” he added.

According to the testimony of Myanmar migrant workers, 30 people came in two pickup trucks from Prachuap Khiri Khan of Thailand.

The arrested 13 workers spent one night in Hat Yai and then they proceeded to Songkhla border to enter the Malaysian territory.

They had to pay up to Baht 40,000 as the brokerage fees per head. The adopted route to enter the Myanmar-Thai border from Moedaung mountain’s pass (Tanintharyi division in Prachaup Khiri Khan) is an illegal way.

Saw Maung also disclosed that the number of Burmese migrants entering Thailand and Malaysia this year is reportedly higher.