KANCHANABURI: Three groups of Myanmar job seekers, 63 in total, were arrested after they illegally crossed the border into Thong Pha Phum, Sai Yok and Sangkhla Buri districts on Monday, according to police reports.
Two Thai men were also arrested for providing help for the illegal border crossers.
In Thong Pha Phum district, a pickup was stopped for a search at a checkpoint on Highway 323 at Ban Lin Thin, Moo 4 village in tambon Lin Thin. Found in the vehicle were 18 illegal border crossers, six men and 12 women. They and the Thai driver of the pickup were detained.
In Sai Yok district, a patrol from the Surasee Task Force arrested 41 Myanmar migrants, 23 men and 18 women, near Bong Ti village in tambon Bong Ti.
Four others, two men and two women, were arrested along with a Thai helper at Ban Song Karia in tambon Nong Lu, Sangkhla Buri district.
The border crossers were from Phayathonezu, Moulmein, Bago and Dawei townships in Myanmar and were heading for workplaces in Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi and Bangkok. Some had paid 10,000-25,000 baht each to job brokers while others were to make the payment on arriving at their work sites.
Police said they would be deported after going through legal proceedings for illegal entry.
The two Thai men were charged with assisting illegal border crossers.