Undocumented Myanmar migrant workers deported from Thailand to Kawthoung are being forcibly conscripted into military training programs, according to sources monitoring the situation. Many of these deportees, especially those of military service age, have been sent to conscription training programs as far as week 10, while only older individuals have been allowed to return home.
Thai authorities have been arresting undocumented Myanmar workers and individuals crossing the border illegally. After serving their sentences, they are transferred from the Ranong detention center to Kawthoung. According to FE5 Tanintharyi, a local organization monitoring migration, this transfer process occurred 14 times in 2024, with large numbers of workers being repatriated each time.
“The majority of deportees sent back from Ranong are being conscripted. We don’t have an exact number, but most of the younger ones are taken away, while only the older ones are allowed to return home,” said Ko Kyaw, an FE5 Tanintharyi official.
Data from FE5 Tanintharyi shows that, in 2024, Myanmar migrant workers were repatriated from Ranong to Kawthoung on multiple occasions, with numbers ranging from 85 to 219 per transfer. The most recent repatriation occurred on January 22, 2025, with 149 workers sent back.
Concerns are rising among migrant workers and their families over Thailand’s strict border security measures, as well as the Myanmar military junta’s forced conscription upon their return. A source close to migrant workers in Three Pagodas Pass expressed fear that deported workers are being funneled into military service.
“At this point, crossing the border illegally is like digging your own grave. Once caught, there’s no way to escape. Most of those being taken are under 40, and many of them are Rakhine and Hindu migrants living along the border,” the source said.
Since the junta’s announcement of its conscription law and the initiation of female military registration, the number of Myanmar nationals fleeing to neighboring countries has increased. Additionally, the forced recruitment of young people—especially those deported from Thailand—continues to rise.
Similarly, in Mon State, the military junta has struggled to fill its training programs as the number of voluntary recruits dwindles. In response, authorities have intensified forced conscription efforts, particularly targeting migrant workers, many of whom are now being coerced into military service in exchange for bribes.
