4 Burmese men arrested after crossing Moei River to Thailand

Tak border patrols have arrested 4 Burmese men who allegedly waded across the Moei River, crossing the natural border into Thailand illegally. Border officials have tightened their patrol since Myanmar reported a second wave of Covid-19 cases in August, and even more after this past weekend when 3 Burmese truck drivers tested positive for Covid-19 after entering Thailand through the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge checkpoint.

On early Monday morning, border patrol hiding in the forest in Tak’s Mae Sot district spotted the 4 Burmese men allegedly crossing the natural border into Thailand. The men, ages 24, 29, 50 and 55, were all arrested for entering Thailand illegally. They also tested positive for illegal drugs and were charged with drug use.

Local villagers gathered yesterday in front of the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge border checkpoint and called on the local government to close the border. Over the weekend, 3 truck drivers crossing through the checkpoint tested positive for Covid-19 and were sent back to Myawaddy town. 73 people who came in contact with the drivers tested negative for the virus, health officials say. The deputy provincial governor then banned Burmese cargo vehicles from entering the Mae Sot border town.

Myanmar reported a surge of coronavirus cases in mid-August, with most of the outbreak concentrated in the Yangon region and the Rakhine state on the country’s western coast. With cases now in Myanmar border districts, Thai authorities have increased patrol and some border districts have blocked natural border crossings with barbed wire.

Myanmar now has 27,974 reported Covid-19 cases with 646 deaths and 9,742 recoveries, according to Worldometer. Cases continue to rise. Yesterday, Myanmar health authorities confirmed 1,910 new Covid-19 cases.

SOURCES: Bangkok Post | Worldometers