Myanmar labour attaché office made an announcement on March 30, warning its workers in Thailand to return via official routes during Thingyan period, sources said.

Migrant workers are using illegal ways to return to Myanmar and as they did not go through the gate officially opened by Myanmar and Thailand governments on Friendship Bridge connecting between Myawady and Mae Sot.

They may be taken action against if found to be using illegal means, they may be taken action against existing laws of Thailand, it said.

“Going through official routes is the right procedures to transit from a country to another country. If they have difficulty about the permission to stay in Thailand, they have proof that they entered Thailand officially. They don’t have to pay expenses as labour attaché from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia presented the issue to Thai cabinet. The only difficulty they faced is to queue at the gates. I want to advice them to use the official routes,” said San Maung Oo, Myanmar labour attaché.

Union Minister Thein Swe for Labour, Immigration and Populations requested Thailand not to charge Myanmar migrant workers to return to Myanmar during his trip in 2018. Thailand officially charged them Baht1,000 as a stamp fee before Thingyan period in recent years.

The process will take effect from April 5 to 30.