Local officials raided a construction camp in Ayutthaya province on Tuesday morning and arrested 272 illegal workers from Myanmar.

Officials raided the camp about 6am on Tuesday.

They detained 272 Myanmar nationals, men and women, who had all entered the country illegally, according to the Uthai district office. 

One Myanmar man said he and about 300 compatriots had illegally crossed the border into Mae Sot district of Tak. They had each paid job brokers about 20,000 baht for travel fees and getting them work at the construction site.  

As labourers they were paid 500 baht a day. Skilled workers received 600 baht a day, he said.

He said the civil war in Myanmar had left them little choice but to find work in Thailand.

It was the second time this camp had been raided for illegal workers. The first was two years ago.

All the illegal migrants would be charged and sent back to Myanmar.