TAK, Thailand—Ten Myanmar nationals were arrested near the border in Mae Sot district of Thailand’s Tak province on Tuesday, all without travel documents, as security along the Thai-Myanmar frontier remains tight to keep out COVID-19.
The seven men and three women were found in the Santonpin community by a patrol of police, soldiers and immigration officials. The illegal migrants were reported to have been abandoned there.
All were unable to produce official travel documents. Health officials later tested them for COVID-19. None was showing any symptoms.
They were taken to Mae Sot police station for legal action.
Security has been tightened along the border amid fears illegal immigrants could be carrying the coronavirus disease, which continues to spread in Myanmar.
The COVID-19 situation in Myawaddy, Karen State, directly across the border from Mae Sot, was still worrying, an official said.
Myawaddy authorities recently imposed a curfew, banning people from leaving their homes between midnight and 4 a.m., to help control the virus.
This article first appeared in The Bangkok Post.
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