Mae Hong Son tightens Myanmar border measures to bar Rohingyas

MAE HONG SON, Feb 5 (TNA) - Mae Hong Son governor Thongchai Wongrianthong instructed two district chiefs of Sob Moei and Mae Sariang bordering Myanmar to strictly monitor the checkpoints in an attempt to bar the entry of illegal migrants, particularly the Rohingyas.

The issue of the stateless ethnic migrants, the Muslim Rohingyas, surfaced to gain international attention when foreign media reported alleged maltreatment by the Thai armed forces of the intending migrants early in January.

To cope with the problem of Rohingyas migration, Mr. Thongchai, who was also a chief of the province's Thai-Myanmar Border Command Centre said he ordered the district chiefs of Sop Moei and Mae Sariang to step up the measures on crossing border of both land and water.

According to the geographic location, the Salaween River is a boundary between the neighbouring Myanmar and Sop Moei and Mae Sariang districts.

Mr. Thongchai said that if numbers of the Rohingya Muslim minority group find their way into Thailand, it will cause a greater economic burden to Thailand.

Currently, he said, there are four camps in Mae Hong Son providing care for over 40,000 migrants displaced by fighting in Myanmar.

Local residents also called on government officials to not allow the boat people to find refuge in the kingdom. (TNA)