Another 152 job seekers from Myanmar were caught illegally entering Kanchanaburi on Thursday, and 17 more were discovered on a long-tailed boat at sea off Ranong.
In Kanchanaburi, patrols of soldiers, police and local officials arrested illegal border crossers at eight locations - in tambon Ban Kao and tambon Bong Tee of Sai Yok district and tambon Nong Loo of Sangkhla Buri district.
In total 80 men and 72 women were detained, along with three guides, and three vehicles transporting them were impounded.
They said they came from Dawei, Bago, Rakhine, Mawlamyine and Rangon in Myanmar and were on their way to jobs in Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Pathum Thani, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Songkhla and Chon Buri provinces.
They said they had paid 16,000-22,000 baht each to job brokers.
None showed signs of illness. They were handed over to local police for legal proceeedings and deportation. (continues below)
Illegal job seekers packed into a car in Kanchanaburi on Thursday. (Photo supplied)
In Rayong, 17 illegal migrants from Myanmar were caught at sea in a long-tailed boat. A navy patrol spotted the boat about 2 kilometres offshore around 9.30pm.
As the patrol approached the boat attempted to flee, but a navy ship was manoeuvred to block its passage.
There were 9 men, 7 women and a young boy on the boat. They told officers they had travelled from Kawthaung in Myanmar. All were taken to a nearby pier and handed over to police for legal action.
The 17 Myanmar nationals found hiding in a long-tailed boat at sea off Ranong. (Photo: Third Navy Area)
A large navy vessel arrests the long-tailed boat and its illegal migrants from Myanmar. (Photo: Third Navy Area)
A navy patrol finds 17 Myanmar nationals at sea in a long-tailed boat in Ranong province on Thursday night. (Photos: Third Navy Area Facebook page)