10-11-2023 (BANGKOK) Over 160 Thai nationals, who have been working in Laukkaing, a town situated in Myanmar’s Kokong Self-Administered Zone, have urgently appealed to Thai authorities for their swift repatriation within the next 24 hours. Their plea is rooted in the escalating conflict between Myanmar’s military junta and various ethnic armed groups, which has encroached dangerously close to their location. Kokong is situated in the northern part of Shan State, near the border with China.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a total of 236 Thai citizens found themselves stranded due to the ongoing clashes, having been lured into employment by a Chinese call-center syndicate operating in Kokong’s Laukkaing Town.
When hostilities erupted in the northern region of Shan State on October 27, 164 Thai workers were relocated to a military camp in Laukkaing. The conflict in question involves the Myanmar military and the Brotherhood Alliance, a coalition comprising the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and Arakan Army (AA).
Some of the Thai nationals stranded in the area have conveyed their distress to The Nation via telephone, reporting that they have been subjected to a day-long barrage of explosions, with the violence drawing nearer to their camp.
In a separate group, approximately 50 Thai workers had been employed in a building within Zone 9, where the Chinese call center had already ceased its operations, leaving the employees to fend for themselves. To date, only 17 individuals from this group have been relocated to the military camp, while the whereabouts of the rest remain unknown.
The Thai workers have also raised concerns about the scarcity of food provided by the Myanmar military. With just 100 meals offered daily for 164 people, the quality of the food is reportedly subpar and occasionally spoiled.
Expressing their perilous circumstances, they stated, “We want the government to take us home in 24 hours, as we are in a dangerous situation. The (bomb) shrapnel is falling closer to our roofs. Some had to hide under the bed or in the toilet all night.”
The stranded Thai workers have indicated that they reached out to the Thai embassy in Myanmar for assistance but received no response.
On Thursday, Ruj Dhammamongkol, the director-general of the Department of Consular Affairs, revealed that plans are in progress to repatriate the 164 Thais from the military camp. This plan includes discussions with Myanmar military authorities concerning the evacuation route. He noted that the process of identifying these Thais might be time-consuming since their passports were confiscated by their employers, necessitating the reissuance of documents for these workers.
Ruj also reassured that there is an adequate supply of food for the Thai citizens in the military camp, thanks to the support of Myanmar authorities, China, and non-governmental organizations. He added that the morale of the Thai workers in the camp remains strong amidst these challenging circumstances.
