Thousands of Myanmar Migrants Detained as Thai Border Remains Closed
Despite tightened border security by the Thai authorities, migrants fleeing from the junta or seeking jobs are crossing each day, mostly from Mon, Karen and Shan states and Tanintharyi Region, U Moe Gyo, the chairman of Joint Action Committee for Burmese Affairs, told The Irrawaddy.
“More than 2,000 people have been detained between Feb. 1 and Feb. 14. Most were detained in Kanchanaburi, bordering Mon State, followed by Prachuap Khiri Khan beside Tanintharyi, Mae Sot adjacent to Karen State and Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai bordering Shan State,” said U Moe Gyo.
Most of them were aged between 18 and 40 and they paid 16,000 to 28,000 baht (900,000-1.5 million kyats) to cross the border, which is closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
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