PHETCHABUN — In a developing story from Phetchabun Province, Thailand, authorities have discovered multiple groups of Myanmar nationals who were allegedly abandoned by human traffickers after being promised work opportunities.
Residents of Rim Si Muang subdistrict in Khao Kho district reported two exhausted-looking foreign men approaching their homes requesting food on Monday night, February 10. Through limited communication, the men indicated that more of their companions were hungry and hiding nearby. Local administrator Paitoon Khotsombat investigated the area and discovered 57 Myanmar nationals in a nearby community forest, including 17 men, 5 women, and 35 minors under the age of 18.
Initial investigations revealed that the group had entered Thailand through natural border passages in Mae Sot district, Tak province. They were transported to Nakhon Sawan province and then picked up by trucks with promises of work in Pattaya, Chonburi province. However, they were abandoned in the Khao Kho area.
In a related incident on February 11, police in Tha Pho district apprehended three additional Myanmar men: Ni Ni (28), Aung Zar Lu (25), and Rabi (20). The men disclosed that they were part of a larger group of approximately 40 people who had also entered through Mae Sot on February 9. They were promised further transportation on February 10 but were similarly abandoned.
None of the migrants possessed legal documentation for entry or stay in Thailand. The authorities are proceeding with legal action under the Immigration Act for illegal entry into the kingdom.
The case highlights ongoing challenges with human trafficking and illegal border crossings in Thailand, particularly along the Myanmar border. Local authorities are continuing their investigation into the trafficking network responsible for transporting and abandoning these individuals.
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