CNI News
25 Oct 2022
Searches and arrests have recently been intensified in Mae Sot border town, where a large number of Myanmar nationals live and work, labour activists for Myanmar workers told the CNI.
Authorities are searching for illegal migrants and workers in factories and workshops, Myanmar labour activists told the CNI.
Ko Thar Gyi, a labour activist for Myanmar workers, told the CNI, “A large number of migrants were arrested in Tak Province on 18th October. Authorities searched and arrested illegal migrants in factories, workshops and the living quarters. They detained more than 640 people on 19th October alone. And searches and arrests continued on 2-th, 21st and 22nd October. Arrests have been intensified and security has been tightened along the border with Myawady. They search people walking outside for their documents. Security has been tightened since shootouts at the border town in Myanmar.
Thai authorities detaining Myanmar migrants.
During the period from 19th to 22nd October, Thai authorities arrested more than 1,000 people, most of whom are Myanmar migrants. Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI that authorities are making arrangements to send them back to Myanmar from No. (2) friendship bridge without taking legal action against them.
Authorities may be arresting Myanmar migrants for some other reasons, labour activist U Min Oo for the FED told the CNI.
He told the CNI, “Four or five days ago, a US lawmaker appealed to neighbouring countries, especially Thailand not to send people who fled from Myanmar to their country because they might face danger in Myanmar. Since then, crackdowns on migrants started. We don’t know why. Usually, they arrest workers when a new law has been enacted. We don’t know why they arrested migrants despite the appeal.
Thai authorities searching pedestrians.
There are millions of Myanmar workers in Thailand and some of them are illegal migrant workers.
Intensified searches and arrests in the entire Thailand have posed more difficulties for Myanmar migrants, according to labour activists.
Ko Thar Gyi told the CNI, “Authorities released workers with required documents and arrested undocumented ones. Those who are waiting to go to a third country by holding refugee cards issued by the UNHCR, it is necessary for the refugee organization to offer assistance because authorities sometimes detain people with UNHCR cards.”
As the crackdown has been intensified in the entire Thailand, Myanmar workers should be more cautious and those who are trying to sneak into Thailand may be arrested due to the heightened security at the border, the activists have warned.
