Those intending to cross the Myawady-Mae Sot border between Thailand and Myanmar must now possess a Unique Identification Number (UID) card, according to reports from travelers.
Temporary border crossing permits (TBP/BP) will be issued only to individuals holding a UID card, effective March 1.
Local residents have expressed difficulties living and working in the country due to this requirement.
“Starting March 1st, a UID card is essential. There was a significant crowd at the immigration office. Without the UID card, entry into Mae Sot is prohibited, compelling many of us to obtain it. The process is overwhelming due to the large number of applicants,” stated a resident of Myawady who traveled to Mae Sot.
Following the military coup, many residents of Mae Sot must cross the Friendship Bridge every seven days to renew their legal residency, exacerbating the situation for locals.
A migrant worker activist in Mae Sot highlighted the challenges imposed by the military junta’s stringent measures.
“While the UID card serves as a universal identification, the stringent enforcement creates undue hardships. The impact on daily earnings remains uncertain. The affected individuals include not only locals from Myawady but also many from neighboring regions. The military junta’s disregard for people’s livelihoods is distressing,” the activist remarked.
The military junta announced on April 4th that temporary border crossing permits (TBP/BP) would only be issued to travelers with a UID certificate at the border entry/exit gates of Myanmar, including those with neighboring China, Thailand, and India, effective March 1. This measure aims to curb the use of counterfeit national identification cards and unregistered cards at the border entry/exit points.
