Travelers arriving in Tachilek are being screened for suspected illegal entry into Thailand

Mekong, July 7 Sources have reported that on July 6, a joint team of the military council inspected Myanmar nationals arriving on domestic flights at Tachilek Airport in eastern Shan State to determine if they were legitimate travelers. The inspection was carried out from 10 AM to 5:45 PM on July 6 by a joint team comprising the immigration department, aviation police, the anti-human trafficking police force, the intelligence department, and military intelligence, according to sources. Following the questioning, 13 Myanmar men and 29 women, totaling 42 individuals, who arrived on flights from Mandalay-Yangon, Mingalar, Myanmar National, and Air Salween airlines and are suspected of intending to travel further into Thailand, are reportedly being further interrogated at the Tachilek Township Police Station. "We saw them detaining people who they suspected would stay briefly in Tachilek and then go to Thailand. They mainly asked about their accommodation and contacts in Tachilek. I was going to Minesat, so after being questioned, I was allowed to go," said one traveler. An individual connected to the tourism industry stated that this inspection is an effort to control the entry of individuals attempting to travel from within the country to abroad without visas or passports, using temporary weekly passes to enter Mae Sai, Thailand. "Those who come with visas and passports will likely be able to resolve it. They might also be repatriated, making the route even tighter. I understand this is being done as part of a plan for the government's first 100 days. The main purpose is to check for those evading military service," he said. It is understood from an individual close to the inspection team that those who were inspected yesterday are temporarily housed in designated temporary accommodation, and the findings of the inspection will be reported to the relevant higher authorities for further action as needed. Political analysts are warning that individuals planning to cross into Thailand via the Tachilek-Mae Sai route to work in Thailand, or those intending to travel to third countries via Bangkok, should be particularly cautious. Following the military council's promulgation of the conscription law, restrictions and limitations on outbound travel have been imposed in various ways, and now, citing the government's first 100 days, outbound travel is being further tightened. The military council is strictly inspecting those residing domestically who are traveling to Thailand, whether by road or by air, arriving in Tachilek. #MeKongNews #Tachilek #Airplane #Illegal #Suspects #Inspection