Thai authorities arrest 34 Myanmar nationals who illegally entered Ayutthaya, Chonburi, and Tak provinces

Yangon, July 14 Twenty-two Myanmar nationals and one Thai driver who illegally entered the country in a crowded manner in three vehicles, paying approximately 20,000 baht in brokerage fees, were arrested by the highway police in Ayutthaya Province, according to a statement from the Thai Highway Police. On July 14, the Ayutthaya Provincial Highway Police, in cooperation with the Provincial Immigration Department and relevant authorities, conducted an ambush operation on Highway No. 1 in Ayutthaya Province after receiving information that illegal migrant workers were being transported from Sakae Krang Province into Ayutthaya Province. During the inspection, three suspicious vehicles with black tinted windows and heavily weighed down rear ends were stopped and inspected. Inside, 22 Myanmar nationals without identification documents and one Thai driver were found crammed into the vehicles and were arrested. According to the police investigation, the arrested Thai driver confessed that he was hired for 1,500 baht per trip to transport illegal Myanmar migrant workers from Sakae Krang Province to Ayutthaya Province. Furthermore, the 22 arrested Myanmar nationals confessed that they had illegally entered Thailand through natural forest routes in Mae Sot Township, Tak Province, and had paid brokerage fees ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 baht per person to work in Bangkok and inland provinces. Currently, the Thai police have charged the 22 arrested Myanmar nationals with illegal entry and residence in Thailand without permission. The suspects and evidence have been handed over to the Wang Noi Police Station, and further legal proceedings are underway to ensure strict legal action, according to sources. Similarly, on July 14, highway police stopped a passenger bus on Highway No. 41 in Mueang District, Chonburi Province, for driving on the wrong side of the road. Upon inspection, 10 Myanmar nationals who had illegally entered the country without passports or entry visas were found among the passengers behind the rear seats and were arrested. In addition, three Thai individuals who transported them were also arrested. According to the interrogation by Thai authorities, the arrested Thai driver confessed that he had secretly loaded the Myanmar nationals from outside the checkpoints in Samut Sakhon Province and Samut Prakan Province and received 12,000 baht to transport them to Surat Thani Province. Currently, the police have arrested three Thai individuals, including the driver and a conductor, for harboring and assisting illegal entrants. The 10 illegally entered Myanmar nationals have been handed over to the Bang Wisai Noi Police Station for legal proceedings and strict action, according to sources. Furthermore, around 9 a.m. on July 12, Thai authorities arrested a 50-year-old Myanmar man and a 60-year-old Myanmar man who were residing illegally in Tasai Lot Village and at the Mae Sot Highway Bus Terminal in Mae Sot District, Tak Province. Both individuals are scheduled to be repatriated to Myawaddy City, Myanmar, according to sources.