The Thai government’s crackdown on human trafficking related to border telecom fraud in Myanmar has led to arrests of Myanmar nationals living legally in Thailand.
A Myanmar migrant in Mae Sot said: “People staying at a hotel were detained despite having passports and CI (certificates of identity). They were fined 800 baht because they were not staying at the place they had originally registered.”
Tak Province authorities have tightened border security amid pressure from China after Chinese actor Wang Xing was trafficked from Mae Sot to a scam compound in Myawaddy on the Myanmar side of the border earlier this month.
The Thai military and police have increased checkpoints in Mae Ramat and Phop Phra in Tak, imposing checks around the clock.
Meanwhile, immigration teams raided 131 Tak locations including hotels and hostels on Jan. 22, arresting five Filipinos and one Indian citizen for overstaying their visas, according to Thai police.
Though reports of arrests mention don’t mention Myanmar citizens, dozens have been caught and fined in the crackdown, according to volunteers helping migrants in Thailand.
U Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee for Burmese Affairs (JACBA), said the immigration clampdown’s timeframe is unknown but is likely part of the Thai government’s six-month crackdown on border scams.
“The Thai deputy PM and defence minister visited [Tak] in December and ordered a crackdown on scams in 51 towns in 14 districts at the border within six months. He warned that security personnel and corrupt officials who failed to comply would be transferred.”
U Moe Gyo urged not just migrant workers but also Myanmar political exiles living in Mae Sot to exercise caution.
“The undocumented foreigners are mostly migrant workers. Mae Sot, in particular, has a significant number of Myanmar nationals, with round 300,000 living there. This crackdown is different from previous ones as it targets call centre gangs.”
Tak authorities conduct routine immigration crackdowns three times a year, but migrants caught in the raids can usually pay a bribe to stay in Mae Sot.
However, Myanmar dissidents sheltering in Thailand to avoid junta persecution are concerned for their safety after the Thai police chief ordered deportations in the latest crackdown.
A Myanmar activist who fled to Mae Sot after receiving threats from the junta, said: “I don’t have any documentation, so I’m very worried. I don’t even dare step outside. The authorities can enter homes to search, so I am staying alert and ready to hide.”
Tens of thousands of political refugees from Myanmar are thought to be living in Mae Sot. Many lack documentation as they are seeking asylum in a third country. Some have applied for pink cards that allow migrants to stay and work in Thailand. However, even pink card holders may be at risk from the crackdown.
One pink card holder said: “Some say we are also not safe. We can get into trouble if the work stated on the card doesn’t match the job we are actually working. So, even with a certificate of identity, it is not entirely safe. We have to be very cautious.”
U Phoe Thinn Kyan, of the Overseas Irrawaddy Association (OIA), which assists Myanmar migrant workers, warned that migrants are unlikely to be able to bribe Thai officials as they did before.
“Some applied for their documents via agents, and they don’t know the names of their employers. They may have problems. They must at least know the names of their employers, the types of jobs stated in the document, and phone numbers to contact the employers,” he advised.
