A group Rohingya illegal migrants who are living in a shelter in Trang province are setting more conditions and not following the rules, Trang's Shelter for Children and Families chief Parawee Wattasingh said on Sunday.
Rohingya migrants (File photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
The shelter in Trang's Muang district is currently accommodating 13 Rohingya migrants, who were transferred from Songkhla province. Twelve of them are under 18 and the other is a middle-aged woman.
Mrs Parawee said the Rohingya migrants initially helped officials at the shelter cook food, wash dishes and clean the place but they later raised new conditions, wanted negotiations and refused to follow the rules.
The migrants were now taking advantage of the people living in the shelter and even used young children to do their chores, she said.
"Some of the migrants refuse to do anything but eat and rest, leaving all the work to officials. The migrants might see that different agencies are lending a hand and they want more benefits," Mrs Parawee said.
She said many officials were under stress and disheartened because they had to provide three meals and two desserts for the migrants and look after them around the clock.
More than 1,400 Rohingya illegal migrants have been rounded up since early January. Thailand has provided them with food and water on humanitarian grounds.
The Muslim minority group has fled violent persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine state.