Illegal Myanmar job seekers caught in Thailand

A worker carries boxes of Grand Royal at a liquor shop in Yangon’s Dawbon Township. Owner U Htin Kyaw Aye says that since April he has been unable to order shipments of Thai-made energy drinks and beer from traders in Myawaddy. (Hkun Lat | Frontier). Sketched by the Pan Pacific Agency.

KANCHANABURI, Aug 28, 2020, Bangkok Post. Thirty-five illegal Myanmar migrants and their two drivers were arrested in Sai Yok district in the early hours of Friday, Bangkok Post reported.

Two pickup trucks travelling on a local road in tambon Sri Mongkhol of Sai Yok district were stopped for a search around 3.40am at a checkpoint manned by soldiers, police and immigration officers.

Fifteen illegal Myanmar migrants were found in the first vehicle, and another 20 in the second. They were arrested.

Their two drivers, both also from Myanmar, were also arrested.

The drivers admitted to police they were each paid 2,000 baht per trip to take illegal migrants from a border area in tambon Sri Mongkhol to Kaeng Sian village in Muang district of this western border province .

The illegal migrants told police they were from Dawei town and sneaked into Thailand along a natural border crossing. They wanted to work in Thailand.

All were taken to Sai Yok police station for legal action. The drivers were charged with helping people enter the country illegally, and the migrants with illegal entry.

They entered the country via Puchanee border pass in Sai Yok district, Col Sitthiporn Julapana, commander of the Ladya military task force, said.

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