Group had set out from Bangladesh on Dec 16 in charge to accomplish Malaysia
PUBLISHED: 21 Jan 2025 at 14:56
Paradise- Forty-two Rohingya migrants have been detained after being found in the waters off Thalang region of this southwestern tourist area, more the month after they set out from Bangladesh.
Local authorities and police were alerted at 4am on Tuesday about a group of people seen in front of Sai Kaew shore in tambon Mai Khao.
The workers looked exhausted when the soldiers arrived at the scene. They were provided dinners before being taken to the Tha Chat Chai police place.
Following reports emerged that another group of people, believed to be illegal workers, were seen walking at Tha Nun in Phangnga state. They were afterwards spotted at the Sarasin gate in Phuket.
The second group consisted of 19 men and 23 women, including 12 children under age 15. Most were in a “weak and frail” condition, according to local media reviews.
During doubting, the refugees told local authorities that they were part of a group of 75 persons who had departed Bangladesh on Dec 16 en route to Malaysia. Problems erupted and they were asked to leave the fleet, believed to be a cargo vehicle.
They eventually boarded small boats to get them to a beach in Phangnga near Phuket. Some were ill and some were female. All were detained in police prison for legal actions.
The team reportedly told officers via a speaker that some of those on board the ship had been assaulted and died during the trip.
The typically Muslim Rohingya have lengthy experienced persecution in their largely Buddhist country of Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands have fled to camps in Bangladesh and some risk their lives on perilous sea expeditions to try to achieve Malaysia or Indonesia via Thailand.
Officials were also looking for the remaining illegal workers.