Thai authorities in Mae Sot have arrested nine Myanmar nationals, aged between 19 and 27 years, for illegal entry into Thailand, according to a statement from the Tak Province Immigration Office. A Myanmar-Thai interpreter in Mae Sot confirmed that these young people were fleeing from forced military service in Myanmar. The arrests highlight the ongoing challenges faced by Myanmar youth seeking to escape military conscription under the current regime.
On September 5, during a midday checkpoint operation in Mae Sot, Thai authorities apprehended five Myanmar nationals aged 19 to 24 years. Several passports were confiscated during the arrest. In a separate incident on September 4 at 10 PM, a joint operation between the Tak Immigration Department and Thai police resulted in the arrest of four more Myanmar nationals, aged 20 to 27, who were being transported by a Thai driver. These arrests underscore the increasing number of Myanmar citizens attempting to enter Thailand illegally to escape the deteriorating situation in their home country.
Meanwhile, in Thailand’s Chonburi Province, 37 Myanmar workers faced unjust dismissal from a factory despite having valid work and residence permits. The workers were terminated without prior notice, with the employer falsely claiming their documentation was incomplete. The M.H.A.C Alliance group is currently assisting these workers in seeking compensation and protecting their rights through proper legal channels. The case is being processed at the local labor protection office (Sawadikan), with support from the NUG Ministry of Labor and the M.H.A.C Alliance to ensure the workers receive their entitled benefits, including severance pay and outstanding wages.
