20-11-2023 (BANGKOK) The Thai government has successfully evacuated over 250 Thai citizens and other foreign nationals, including a Singaporean woman, from northern Myanmar, where intense clashes between the Myanmar military government and local ethnic armed groups have been taking place.
In a statement released on Sunday (November 19th), the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Myanmar authorities had assisted 266 Thai citizens in relocating from the town of Laukkai in Shan State, located around 10 kilometers from the Sino-Myanmar border. The evacuees had been trapped in the area due to the fierce conflict between the Myanmar military government and ethnic armed groups. They were expected to arrive in Bangkok on Sunday night and Monday morning via chartered flights.
The statement mentioned that Filipino and Singaporean citizens were also among those evacuated, but no further details were provided by Thai authorities. However, according to The Straits Times, a Singaporean woman was among the evacuees.
Upon their arrival in Bangkok, the Thai authorities will conduct screenings to check for any involvement in human trafficking or criminal activities. It was previously stated by officials that some of the individuals stranded in Myanmar were victims of human trafficking, while others may be linked to telecom fraud cases.
As for non-Thai citizens, they will be assisted by their respective embassies in returning to their home countries upon arrival in Bangkok. According to The Bangkok Post, the two chartered flights are scheduled to arrive at Bangkok’s airport at 10:25 pm local time on Sunday and 12:40 am on Monday.
The current conflict in Myanmar involves the Tatmadaw, the armed forces of Myanmar, facing a significant military challenge from a coalition of three ethnic armed groups known as the “Three Brotherhood Alliance,” consisting of the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, the Arakan Army, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army. Since October 27th, these groups have launched attacks against the Tatmadaw, marking the most serious military challenge to the Myanmar military government since the coup in 2021.
Since the start of this round of hostilities, the Tatmadaw has been steadily losing ground, with several towns and military bases falling into the hands of the ethnic armed groups. The conflict has now reached Laukkai, a town notorious for gambling, prostitution, and cyber fraud crimes.
Prior to this evacuation, Thailand had already evacuated 41 stranded Thai citizens on Saturday (November 18th) through the Thai-Myanmar border.
