Thailand Deports Over 144,000 Myanmar Nationals in Crackdown on Illegal Entry

Thailand Deports Over 144,000 Myanmar Nationals in Crackdown on Illegal Entry

Thailand has arrested and deported more than 144,000 Myanmar nationals in the past three months as part of a large-scale crackdown on illegal workers, according to the Ministry of Labor. The operation, which began in June, involved inspections of nearly 15,000 businesses, economic zones, and job-seeker hotspots across the country.

Myanmar citizens made up the largest group affected by this campaign. Despite the vital role Myanmar workers play in the Thai economy, especially in sectors such as agriculture, fishing, and services, many arrive illegally in search of employment. Labor activists note that while approximately two million Myanmar nationals are legally employed in Thailand, many more cross the border illegally, particularly as the turmoil in Myanmar drives desperate job seekers to neighboring countries.

A key factor behind the rise in illegal migration is Myanmar’s conscription law, implemented in April under the military junta, three years after it seized power. Young people fleeing potential conscription have added to the surge of arrivals in Thailand.

Assistant Thai police chief Lt. Gen. Itthipol Achariyapradit emphasized the need to take action against illegal entry, stating that some migrants use the ongoing conflict in Myanmar as a pretext to seek jobs in Thailand. He added that while genuine refugees can be distinguished from economic migrants, the country’s priority is to maintain order, even if it means delaying the process for those in unsafe situations.

Despite Thailand’s need for migrant labor, the government has been tightening procedures, closing offices for migrant paperwork and giving the Myanmar junta more control over the documentation of its citizens working in Thailand.