CHIANG MAI: Twenty-three illegal Myanmar migrants were arrested on Thursday night in Fang district of this northern province.
An army patrol detained a group of men and women spotted walking from the border towards Nong Tao village in tambon Mon Pin of Fang district, Col Veerachai Phongkaew, commander of the 4th Cavarly Regiment of the Pha Muang task force, said on Friday.
There were 11 men, 5 women and 7 children in the group. The adults said they came from Myanmar to get work in Chiang Mai. All were handed over to Fang immigration for legal action.
Col Veerachai said the Pha Muang task force had increased patrollling along the northern border since the country reopened to tourists on Monday.
Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Friday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had instructed governors and security forces in border provinces to do more to prevent illegal entry and smuggling of weapons and drugs.
Over the past week, many job seekers had been caught sneaking across the border into Chaing Mai and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces, the spokesman said.
On Nov 3, 17 Myanmar job seekers were arrested in tambon Mae Ngon of Fang district.
The same day, another 19 illegal migrants were caught near Huai Ngoo reservoir in tambon Mon Pin of Fang district.
In Prachuap Khiri Khan, 45 Myanmar job seekers were caught at Sibsop natural border crossing in Muang district on Oct 31, said Mr Thanakorn.
All detainees were checked for fever as part of Covid-19 screening.
“The prime minister has ordered an extended investigation into those behind the smuggling of illegal migrants," the spokesman said.
The Labour Ministry had also been asked to hold meetings with other agencies to draw up guidelines so migrant workers could be brought into the country legally and meet the needs of the production and service sectors, which were growing as a result of the government’s reopening of the country, the spokesman said.