43 more arrested for illegal entry on western border

KANCHANABURI: Forty-three Myanmar job seekers were arrested late on Saturday night for illegal entry in Muang district, police said.

The job seekers – 23 men and 20 women – were spotted by a patrol from Ranger Company 1404 hiding in a tapioca plantation near Huay Nam Khao, the Moo 2 village in tambon Ban Kao of Muang district.

They travelled from Bago, Yangon, Dawei and Pa-an townships in Myanmar and entered Thailand through a natural border crossing near the border village of Huay Nam Khao, according to police.

They were met at the village by three Thai nationals – Jennarong Chumraksa, Suwan Wangmee and Amarin Amnan – who were there to provide them with food and temporary shelter before they were transported further inside the country.

Some of the Myanmar job seekers said they had paid a brokerage fee to job agents, while others said they were to pay the fee on…