MUKDAHAN, March 25 (TNA) – Migrant workers from Cambodia,
Laos and Myanmar in Thailand have rushed to border crossings to return home as
Thailand is sealing its border to control the spread of coronavirus outbreak.
Over 1,500 Lao workers flocked a border checkpoint in
Mukdahan province on Wednesday morning, the final day that local authorities
allow them to cross the border.
Authorities said about 9,500 migrant workers have travelled
through the checkpoint to Lao’s Savannakhet province in the past three days.
Since March 20, the Thai government has given provincial
administrations the authority to order border closure to contain Covid-19. Thousands of migrant workers were stranded
at border crossings until officials resolved to allow them to return until
Wednesday.
Millions of workers from the three neighboring countries are
employed in the service sector in Thailand.
They have decided to leave the country after restaurants, bars and other
services have been closed due to the outbreak.
Thousands migrants from Myanmar on Wednesday turned up at
the border checkpoints in Chiang Rai province which has also given leniency to
the workers. They are required to go
through immigration and health check procedures amid the Covid-19 outbreak.
Other border crossings in Thailand including those on the
border with Cambodia, have also seen large groups of migrant workers wishing to
return home. (TNA)
