Rescued Rohingya ‘en route to Indonesia’

Each migrant paid B134k for passage

Rohingya migrants are rescued to a headland in Langu district of Satun on Tuesday. (Photo: the navy)
Rohingya migrant workers are rescued to a headland in Langu district of Satun on Tuesday. (Photo: the navy)

Fifty-one Rohingya migrants rescued through being stranded within Satun have accepted they fled from the refugee camp in Bangladesh and Myanmar’s Rakhine State in the hope of working in Indonesia.

Ten Rohingya men were rescued right after being found suspended in waters from the coast of Koh Bulone in Langu district on Wednesday before 41 others were found on the exact same day left trapped on Koh Gluay in Thung California district.

According to a source on the Marine Police Division, each Rohingya migrant paid around three hundred and fifty, 000  Bangladeshi taka (about 134, 1000 baht) for agencies to take them to Philippines.

Researchers found that the very first 10 Rohingya steered clear of from an United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camp within Bangladesh, while the relaxation took the ship from Rakhine Condition.

Police were told that will during the journey, a storm hit and the 10 men had been pushed overboard simply by some of their compatriots to make the boat lighter and safer to continue the journey.

Meanwhile, a Rohingya woman who journeyed with her child on the boat told law enforcement that they were told that their journey from Rakhine Condition to Indonesia would take about a 30 days.

At first, they received 2 meals a day before it was reduced to one and then none at all.

Right after travelling for eighteen days, the Myanmar captain and his seven crew then forced 41 of them to jump out of the boat near the island by claiming they were within Indonesian territory, the girl said.

Meanwhile, Marine police captured eight Myanmar nationals and grabbed a trawler, right after it was seen suspended off the coast within Kantang district associated with Trang on Wed.

None of them had any travel documents, so they were held for questioning on suspicion these were involved in human trafficking.

During interrogation, the 62-year-old captain, identified only as Loo Aung Lai, told police that they had acquired 48 Rohingya from Myanmar’s Rakhine Condition and transferred them to another boat that could head to Indonesia.

The chief insisted he didn’t leave the Rohingya on any island destinations.

He said that during their trip back to their nation, the boat sold out of fuel and food supplies, and they also sought assistance in Trang.

He told police that he was not who owns the boat and that he was paid 1 . 5 million Myanmar kyat (around 30, 000 baht) for the job by a man named Aung Too.

Police have initially pressed charges against them for illegal entry and remaining in the kingdom without permission.