The Thai special police team, Ministry of Labour and local police, and the department of labour are cooperated to investigate and arrest Myanmar nationals, who are opened shops and restaurants in Tha Sai Luat in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, which is a border town in Thailand, Pattaya in Chonburi Province in eastern Thailand and Phuket in Phuket Province, Southern Thailand, according to people who are engaged in labour affairs.

Myanmar shop owners and shop assistants, who are selling Burmese food and consumer goods, are being investigated to see if they are in compliance with Thai law. Chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs (JACBA) U Moe Gyo said that the Prime Minister of Thailand warned that Thailand would take effective action on those who enter illegally to Thailand due to the mandatory military service law in Myanmar.

"There are 40 types of work prohibited by the Thai government. They do not allow migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos to work in selling goods, opening a beauty salon, and casting of Buddha Images. If you do these things, the fine is 5000 to 50000 baht. In addition, they may be banned from entering Thailand for two years. On the other hand, as the Thai Prime Minister said if many Myanmar youths enter Thailand illegally due to the military service law, they will take strict action. Thai authorities are conducting random inspections on many shops owned by Myanmar nationals that have already opened in Mae Sot and Tha Sai Luat in the border, in Samut Prakan Province in central Thailand, Chonburi Province in the eastern Thailand and Pattaya in Phu Khat Province in southern Thailand whether the workers have documents and the jobs they are doing are jobs that Thai nationals are allowed or restricted businesses without foreigners' work permit. Many of them are fined. The conditions are simultaneous, so those who are already in Thailand and those who will come to Thailand must be more careful," said U Moe Gyo.

U Moe Gyo added that the Tak District Immigration Department announced that five Myanmar nationals were arrested and prosecuted by Thai immigration officials for selling illegal goods near the Myawady-Mae Sot Friendship No. 1 Bridge (on the Mae Sot side) on February 20.