Due to intensified security measures in Thailand following crackdowns on Chinese online scam operations, undocumented Myanmar migrant workers have gathered around Payathonzu, awaiting an opportunity to cross the border, according to local sources.
Since the last week of January, authorities have increased inspections along the Kanchanaburi route, setting up additional checkpoints. This has made it increasingly difficult for brokers to smuggle migrant workers into Thailand through illegal channels.
A source close to brokers claimed that there could be tens of thousands of undocumented workers currently stranded in broker-run shelters in Japan Well village and around Payathonzu.
“There are tens of thousands. If you ask one broker, they might say they have about 100, and another broker will say the same. There are many brokers, not just one or two. Since crossing the border is no longer easy, everyone is stuck here, just waiting,” the source said.
Some of these workers are being temporarily provided with accommodation and food by brokers, while others are stuck in plantations and forests without sufficient supplies, waiting for the right moment to cross.
Meanwhile, those who possess passports are reportedly being discreetly transported on motorcycles from Payathonzu to the Thai border village of Wangka before being transferred to their destinations by minivans.
Due to Thailand’s crackdown on online scam operations, security forces have significantly tightened inspections at all entry points, including roads, forest paths, and waterways, making it extremely difficult for migrants to enter the country. As a result, many workers currently in Payathonzu may have no choice but to return home, according to local residents.
“It’s not easy to enter Thailand anymore. Everyone is stuck at the border, just waiting. Some say the border will be closed for another three days. If they really close it, I don’t even know if I will have to return home,” said a local man.
Despite the heightened crackdown, many of those stranded are young people under 40 who are seeking to avoid Myanmar’s mandatory military conscription law or are unable to obtain legal permits to work abroad. The group also includes many Rakhine and Hindu migrants, according to local sources.
To cross into Thailand, migrants reportedly pay brokers between 10,000 and 25,000 Thai baht.
According to Thai reports, authorities in Sangkhlaburi and Kanchanaburi arrested around 100 undocumented migrants in February alone as part of the intensified border crackdown.
Residents of Payathonzu have also expressed concerns over security risks as more migrants arrive in the town, which is already experiencing power outages and fuel shortages.
Since February 5, the Thai government has cut off electricity, fuel, and internet services in five border areas, including Payathonzu, as part of its efforts to dismantle online scam operations.
