People’s Spring
One day after Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing in China, the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok issued a warning to Myanmar nationals in Thailand regarding their immigration status.
The leaders met on November 7 in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, during the 10th ACMECS (Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy) summit. According to Thai news outlet Thai Enquirer, Min Aung Hlaing reportedly requested that Thailand share information about Myanmar nationals residing in the country, including their locations and other personal details. This request was made to both the Thai Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the meeting, the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok issued a statement warning Myanmar nationals about Thailand’s strict enforcement of immigration laws, highlighting a crackdown on individuals overstaying their visas. The embassy emphasized that Thai immigration authorities would take serious action against those residing unlawfully, with potential fines and restrictions on re-entry for those exceeding their stay limits.
Public Service Announcement
According to the embassy’s statement, individuals overstaying their visas will face fines of 500 baht per day, up to a maximum of 20,000 baht, and could face re-entry bans ranging from one to ten years depending on the duration of the overstay.
Ye Min, a representative from the Myanmar Labor Rights Group (MHAC) in Thailand, suggested that the Myanmar military may be trying to strengthen its influence among Myanmar nationals in Thailand, possibly to enforce tax collection and establish connections with the diaspora. However, he expressed doubt that Thai authorities would fully comply with Min Aung Hlaing’s request due to international scrutiny, advising Myanmar nationals to exercise extra caution.
In addition, a social media message circulating among Myanmar residents in Mae Sot urged them to stay indoors over the coming weekend, as Thai authorities plan a two-day crackdown in the area.
The Thai government implemented a “120-day plan” from June 5 to October 2 to check undocumented residents. According to the Thai government, 209,435 Myanmar nationals in Thailand were screened, with 1,289 arrested. Those detained were held for over two weeks before being deported to the border.
Mr. Sompong Srakaew, founder of the Labour Protection Network Foundation in Mahachai, noted that while Thailand typically deports undocumented workers, the current conditions in Myanmar make forced deportation inappropriate.
“The Thai government needs to understand that Myanmar’s situation is different from countries like Cambodia, which faces no similar issues. Many fleeing Myanmar come for safety, including activists and PDF supporters,” he explained, adding that forced deportation lacks humanity.
On September 26, 127 Myanmar migrant workers who had completed their sentences in Thailand were deported via the Ranong border to Kawthaung, Myanmar. Among those deported, 27 young individuals were selected by the military authorities in Kawthaung for compulsory military service in the Kawthaung subdivision.
Thailand regularly repatriates detained Myanmar migrant workers under a bilateral agreement with Myanmar. This process often involves transporting individuals by boat from Ranong to Kawthaung, where they are then processed by Myanmar authorities. However, recent actions by the Myanmar military involve forcibly recruiting young returnees for military service upon their return.
