When crossing from the Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge (Myawaddy-Mae Sot Bridge) to Mae Sot, Thailand, the Thai Government keeps ID cards and return the cards only if a resident of Mae Sot who has an official document of residence provides a guarantee, it is reported.
“Yesterday (January 19), at 10 o’clock in the morning, I crossed from the Myawaddy side, and the Myanmar side was fine. When I got to the Thai side, I was asked, “ Who did you visit?, and what did you come for? I told them that I was visiting someone I knew. They let me go. And I asked for my ID to be returned. They did not return it to me. If someone gives me a guarantee, it will be returned. If not, I had to leave it. So I had to,” a woman who experienced it told MPA.
According to a man who lives near the Myawaddy-Mae Sot Friendship Bridge, since the Thai Government is keeping ID cards, there are brokers for guarantee who are asking for up to Baht 600 per ID card.
“We chartered a car from Yangon to Mae Sot. When we got to the bridge, the driver from Yangon got off and made a change with the Mae Sot driver. The whole group of us stood in line, and the driver gave us a guarantee and returned the IDs. We had to pay more money to the Mae Sot driver,” said a young man who came from Yangon to Mae Sot.
After the military junta promulgated the conscription law on February 10, there were many migrants from Myanmar to Thailand through the Friendship Bridge, as well as those who entered illegally.
Thailand’s Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, has warned that Myanmar’s nationals entering Thailand through illegal routes will be taken actions.