NARATHIWAT - Thai Muslims who work in Malaysia and Singapore are returning home in large numbers for the Hari Raya Aidiladha on Monday.
Thai Muslims are seen waiting in long lines to go through immigration at the checkpoint in Sungai Kolok district in Narathiwat on Sunday. (Photo by Wado Harai)
On Sunday, at the border checkpoints in Sungai Kolok, Tak Bai and Waeng, Thai Muslims were seen waiting in long lines to go through immigration.
Most of them were returning to their home towns in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat for the Hari Raya celebrations. Larger numbers were from various towns of Kelantan state, while the rest came from Singapore.
More immigration officials were called in to handle the volume of people at the three checkpoints, being ordered to strictly search all belongings and vehicles for illegal items.
Passports were carefully checked for criminal suspects who might try to mingle among the workers and slip into the country.
From the border checkpoints, the Thai Muslims mostly proceeded in vans to Hat Yai in Songkhla, Yala and Pattani.