KANCHANABURI: Forty-nine Myanmar nationals were arrested and charged with illegal entry in Thong Pha Phum district early on Wednesday.
Following a tip-off, they were found hiding in a teak forest near Moo 1 village in tambon Tha Khanun of Thong Pha Phum district by soldiers from the Surasee Task Force and Thong Pha Phum police.
There 29 men and 20 women. All were undocumented.
The migrants said they were from Mawlamyine, Yangon, Bago and Rakhine townships in Myanmar, having paid 20,000 – 30,000 baht each to brokers who promised them jobs in Samut Sakhon, Rayong, Kanchanaburi and Bangkok.
They had illegally crossed the border into Thailand and were waiting for transport to their promised jobs.
They were handed over to Thong Pha Phum police for legal proceedings pending repatriation.