Nearly 700,000 Myanmar nationals entered Thailand in the first four months of this year

Nearly 700,000 Myanmar nationals entered Thailand in the first four months of this year, according to information released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as reported by Thai news. According to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN agency for migration, 687,000 Myanmar nationals entered Thailand from January to April this year, and it is understood that they entered through border crossings in provinces such as Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ranong, and Chiang Mai. A survey conducted by the IOM of over 3,500 entrants revealed that 41 percent lacked proper legal documentation, and the reasons for their arrival included economic reasons, tourism, job seeking, as well as fleeing conflict, the news reported. Furthermore, Myanmar nationals are no longer solely coming to work as they did in the past. According to a recent study by Happio, a Thai consulting firm, approximately 4 million Myanmar nationals are spending over 221 billion baht (approximately 6.7 billion US dollars) annually, and the news further states that many Thai businesses overlook this consumer market. Over 520,000 Myanmar nationals reside in Bangkok alone, with others residing in Samut Sakhon, Chiang Mai, Tak, and Ranong. The news also reports that the number of Myanmar students attending university classrooms is increasing, with the number of students attending Thai universities rising by approximately six times, from less than 3,000 per year to over 17,000 by 2025.