The military junta is accepting Myanmar migrant workers deported from Thailand more quickly than before, with most of those returned forcibly recruited for military conscription, according to sources.
FE 5 Tanintharyi, a group monitoring Myanmar migrant worker issues along the Kawthaung border, told IMNA that 765 Myanmar migrant workers, including children, were deported from the Ranong detention center over five months in 2026, at a rate of twice a month.
In the past, the Myanmar side often delayed accepting deported workers for up to three months, citing documentation issues. Since the conscription law came into effect, the process has sped up to an average of twice a month.
Most deportees are handed over directly to a military-run battalion in Kawthaung, where junta officials wait on the shore with prepared lists.
An FE 5 Tanintharyi official said, “Before the conscription law took effect, it usually took a long time to send back Myanmar nationals held at the Ministry of Immigration and Population detention center in Ranong to Kawthaung. Sometimes they were held for up to three months before being sent back. Since the conscription law came into effect, the process has become fast, and they now accept people quickly.”
The official said Thai authorities plan to step up efforts to deport illegally arrested Myanmar nationals in the coming months, raising concern for migrant workers.
A Mon woman said her relatives who were conscripted after being deported from Thailand to Kawthaung had to pay large sums of money but were still not released.
“I’m worried. After this conscription law, I’m afraid that if my relatives get into any trouble in Thailand, they might send them back without us knowing. When my younger brother was arrested, we didn’t even know he’d been deported through Kawthaung. Later, when we managed to make contact, we had to raise money. They asked for hundreds of thousands of kyat. Even after paying, we don’t know if he’ll actually be released. They only release someone once a substitute recruit is provided,” she said.
Labor rights advocates say protection measures should be urgently established so deported workers can seek help from those nearby and ensure their safety.
According to FE 5 Tanintharyi data, 2,072 undocumented Myanmar migrant workers were deported in 16 rounds during 2025.
Thai media reports say Myanmar migrant workers leaving the country in search of livelihoods and job opportunities are being arrested daily at border crossings in Thailand’s four major border provinces: Tak, Ranong, Kanchanaburi, and Chiang Rai.
