PHUKET: The Army and local officials apprehended two vehicles yesterday north of Phuket containing 37 boatpeople who are believed to be Rohingya.
A tip-off led to the two vehicles being stopped near Takuapa in Phang Nga province about 4pm. Authorities believe the group was being trafficked.
The two Thai drivers, Chawang Songsan and Suriya Yotrak, both 34, were arrested.
Officials were told the vehicles were heading from Ranong on Thailand's border with Burma to Sadao, on the border with Malaysia
Thirty-three men were taken to the council offices in Takuapa overnight and were due to be passed to police and Immigration in Phang Nga Town today.
Three women and a boy were taken to the government-run family shelter in Khao Lak.
Although there was no translator involved, officials believe the group were Rohingya fleeing ethnic cleansing in Burma (Myanmar).
A tip-off led to the two vehicles being stopped near Takuapa in Phang Nga province about 4pm. Authorities believe the group was being trafficked.
The two Thai drivers, Chawang Songsan and Suriya Yotrak, both 34, were arrested.
Officials were told the vehicles were heading from Ranong on Thailand's border with Burma to Sadao, on the border with Malaysia
Thirty-three men were taken to the council offices in Takuapa overnight and were due to be passed to police and Immigration in Phang Nga Town today.
Three women and a boy were taken to the government-run family shelter in Khao Lak.
Although there was no translator involved, officials believe the group were Rohingya fleeing ethnic cleansing in Burma (Myanmar).
The marginalized Rohingya are only doing what every other human being is doing - trying to do the best they can in life.
Time will tell the extent to which they are intercepted-coerced-captured-manipulated-(and worse), taken to camps, where some of them end up partaking in virtual slave labor - on Thai fishing vessels for example.
Posted by farang888 on September 26, 2014 02:56