Arrest of undocumented Burmese people attempting to enter Thailand on the rise

July 3, 2024

HURFOM: Livelihood hardships, the conscription law, and the ongoing armed conflict is forcing many Burmese citizens to leave the country for Thailand. Many are doing so without documentation via the Three-Pagoda route on the Thai-Burma border, and are often referred to as migrant workers.

Burmese migrant workers who entered Thailand without proper documentation have been arrested by the Thai Border Guard Police Force. This happens every day. According to the Thai media, 476 Burmese migrant workers were arrested between February and April, 2024. 48 individuals were arrested in May and in June, 102 migrant workers were arrested.

“They know there are arrests every day but they decided to enter Thailand illegally. There is a political crisis in the country and it isn’t okay to make a livelihood. Young people are afraid of conscription law and run away to Thailand. The Thai border guard routinely arrests these migrant workers and then forces them to contact their brokers. The police demanded a certain amount of ransom for their release,” said a resident who lives in Three Pagoda Pass.

More than 10 vehicles carrying illegal migrant workers enter Thailand daily via the Three-Pagoda pass route.

Each migrant has to pay between 13,000 to 20,000 Thai Baht to their broker as they attempt to enter Thailand via jungle route or by boats.

“20 to 30 migrant workers from Three Pagoda Pass enter Thailand every day. They are children, youth and also a huge number of adults,” said a resident who lives in the border area.

Many young people in Burma have decided to leave the country to avoid compulsory military service so that the military junta has banned young people from working abroad officially.

Written by Modinator · Filed Under News