Illegal labour smuggling networks have been operating in a systematic and organised manner, bribing their way through checkpoints to bring in migrant workers, a source told the Bangkok Post.
The source working at the border said that labour smugglers in Thailand have worked together with their counterparts in Myanmar, with their main base on the border of Tak's Mae Sot district, and on the border of Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district.
The source said that Myanmar workers who seek to migrate illegally into Thailand contact the smugglers who charge them 10,000 to 30,000 baht per person to sneak them into the country.
Initially, migrant workers officially pass through the Mae Sot immigration checkpoint using border passes, which allows them to stay in the country for seven days.
Then, the smugglers take them in passenger vans from the border where they go through three more checkpoints manned by soldiers, police and local officials and pay authorities 500 baht per migrant.
After checkpoint clearance, they continue on to Tak's Wang Chao district, located near Highway No.1.
From there, it's smooth sailing, with fewer immigration checkpoints where the smugglers still pay money for clearance, the source said.
The main final destination of most smuggled workers is Talad Thai, Thailand's largest market for food products, in Pathum Thani.
From there, illegal migrant workers are sent to other provinces nationwide, the source said.
Some migrants workers from Myanmar carry passports, which makes it easier for them to enter Thailand, though they must pay up to 20,000 baht to obtain the documents from Myanmar authorities, the source said.
"No matter how they enter the country, they have to pay authorities through smuggling gangs," the source said.
