Kanchanaburi: Another 162 illegal workers were arrested in the forest in Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province, waiting for a vehicle to pick them up and head to work in various areas in Thailand, including Malaysia. They were eventually apprehended.
According to Thai News Agency, a good citizen reported finding a large group of people hiding in the forest in Ban Hin Laem, Village No. 5, Tha Khanun Subdistrict, Thong Pha Phum District. It was suspected that they were a group of Myanmar migrant workers who had escaped. After receiving the report, the Governor of Kanchanaburi Province ordered responsible agencies to send forces to the area to investigate.
When they arrived, they found a group of people hiding in the forest. The officers identified themselves and signaled for them to come out. They counted 162 people in total: 94 men, 57 women, and 11 children and youth, both male and female, aged between 15 and 18 years.
Initially, they stated that they fled into the Kingdom of Thailand by natural routes along the border in Sangkhlaburi District, taking both cars and boats, and were picked up by vehicles. They intended to travel to work in various areas, including Samut Sakhon, Bangkok, Chon Buri, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Songkhla, as well as crossing into Malaysia. They paid brokers 20,000-24,000 baht per person, depending on the distance. While waiting for someone to pick them up, they were apprehended by officials.