Narinjara News, February 26, 2023

Thai police arrested 30 Myanmarmigrant workers who illegally crossed the border into Sai Yok district,Kanchanaburi province Thailand, according to the Kanchanaburi-based news media.

22 men and 8 women were arrestedat about 7am near Ban Tha Thung Na Moo 2, Sai Yok Subdistrict, Sai Yokdistrict, Kanchanaburi province, along with a man who was acting as their

guide.

Ko Saw Maung, who handles Myanmarmigrant workers’ affairs, told Narinjara that they were arrested because ofillegal entry at a time when it is difficult to get a passport in Myanmar, and thereare few local job opportunities.

“ With the MOU system, it’s verydifficult for them. It’s a time when it’s difficult to even get a passport togo abroad. They can’t afford to support their families, and so they have to trythis way, so that’s why they get arrested,” he said.

The Kanchanaburi-based mediareported that the Myanmar workers may have entered from the forest roadbordering Mon state, and they reported the 30 people were packed like sardinesinto a

car.

The workers are from Yangon,Mawlamyine, Bago and Rakhine, and they had paid 20,000 to 30,000 baht eachto go to work in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Samut Sakhon and Ranong.

During the beginning of this year,more than a thousand illegal Myanmar migrant workers have been arrested inThailand, according to a list compiled by Myanmar workers’ affairs officials.