Lorry smuggling Myanmar migrants crashes in Thailand, 14 hurt

Fourteen individuals sustained injuries in an accident involving a lorry smuggling Myanmar migrants into Thailand illegally, as it lost control and overturned in Kanchanaburi province’s western region.

The incident occurred along Road 323 in Sangkhla Buri district shortly after midnight when the driver lost control while speeding downhill, causing the vehicle to veer off a curve before fleeing the scene.

At the time of the accident, the lorry was transporting 29 passengers from Myanmar. Among them, fourteen individuals sustained injuries, with five in critical condition.

Investigations revealed that these individuals had crossed the border into Thailand on March 31 and were subsequently picked up by the truck heading inland. However, the exact destination of the vehicle remains undisclosed.

Local authorities, under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent Decharit Pholkamol, announced the deportation of all passengers back to Myanmar.

This incident occurs amid increased vigilance from Thai border security authorities, anticipating a surge in individuals from Myanmar seeking employment in Thailand due to ongoing civil unrest in their home country.

In a related development, there has been a recent uptick in illegal immigration in Thong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi, where 22 Myanmar nationals attempted to cross the border into Thailand on March 13. Prompt action from Thong Pha Phum police and other authorities, acting on a tip-off, prevented the unlawful activity.

Upon arrival at the designated site, officers discovered an abandoned pickup truck parked near a forest in the Tha Khanun subdistrict, with footprints indicating recent human activity. A thorough search of the area uncovered a group of illegal Myanmar workers hidden within the forest.

In another announcement, Labour Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn declared that migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar would be exempt from re-entry fees if they choose to return to their home countries to celebrate Songkran between April 1 and May 15. This decision, approved by the policy committee on the management of alien workers, aims to facilitate the annual Songkran celebrations for these workers and their families.