TAK, September 2 (TNA) – Six Chinese nationals have been arrested for illegal entry into Thailand by crossing the Moei River, a natural borderline between Thailand and Myanmar.
The arrests early Wednesday morning came as Thai authorities tightened border control measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as the number of infections in Myanmar has jumped for many days.
A border patrol unit spotted the six men getting off a boat and swimming to the bank of the Moei River in Mae Sot district of Tak province. After reaching the Thai soil, they attempted to flee but failed, officials said.
In the past weeks, army troops, police, volunteers and village defence units of Mae Sot district have teamed up to patrol the border. Security checkpoints have been set up to prevent illegal migrants who might carry the deadly virus and potentially spark a new outbreak in Thailand.
The Chinese men are from the controversial new town of Shwe Kokko, a Chinese megaproject in Karen state. They told police through an interpreter that they feared of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in Myanmar. (TNA)
