Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Friday said in a press briefing that it had already suggested the Thai government to temporarily suspend labor import from Myanmar until the latter is able to stem COVID-19 cases from further outbreak.
It's quite worrying as COVID-19 cases are on the rise at our neighboring country, said Sophon Iamsirithaworn, director of the ministry's Bureau of General Communicable Diseases, referring to Myanmar.
Not only should Thailand suspend temporary labour imports from Myanmar, Thai authorities need to ramp up efforts in intercepting border areas against illegal crossing into Thai soil.
Sophon said he is concerned that the illegal entry of Myanmar workers into Thailand may lead to the country witnessing a second wave of infections.
It took collective efforts from state and private sectors in stemming COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand.
We have passed three months without a single case of local COVID-19 transmission case, Sopon said.
Earlier on Friday, A total of 37 Myanmar nationals, 35 migrants and two drivers, were arrested for illegal entry into western Thailand, bordering Myanmar.
The Thai Immigration Bureau had repeatedly warned foreign migrants of illegal entry, threatening a permanent ban of re-entry if arrested.
Thailand and Myanmar share a border for a distance of about 150 kilometers.