Nine Arakanese identified as suspects in death of Thai man

By DMG 08 Jun 2022

DMG Newsroom
8 June 2022, Sittwe 

Thai police have identified nine Arakanese people as suspects in the death of a Thai man in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, southern Thailand, near the Malaysian border, according to the Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN), a not-for-profit organisation working to promote the rights of Myanmar migrant workers in Thailand. 

More than 300 undocumented Myanmar migrant workers were detained between June 2 and June 5 after the Thai man was found dead on May 31 and traces of Myanmar migrant workers were allegedly found near the crime scene, according to the MWRN. 

Myanmar migrant workers were interrogated separately and nine Arakanese people were suspected of being involved in the crime, said Ko Thein Tun from the MWRN. 

“The police chief said they saw the mats that they said Myanmar migrant workers used to sleep on at the crime scene. So, they detained all migrant workers and questioned them with the help of interpreters. And they sorted out nine Arakanese people who they think are suspicious. Police said they will be punished accordingly if they are guilty and will be deported to Myanmar if they are innocent,” he said. 

Among the suspects are two from Mrauk-U, one from Kyauktaw, four from Ponnagyun and two from Sittwe. They are reported to have illegally crossed the border to work in Malaysia. They are currently being detained at a Thai police station along with 23 other Myanmar citizens who are alleged to have illegally crossed the border. 

“The Thai police station feeds them. However, as you know, Myanmar migrant workers [who do hard labour] have a big appetite.  So, we have provided them with food and clothes. But we don’t know about the police procedures regarding their case. We have informed their families about their detention,” said Ko Thein Tun. 

Their colleagues, meanwhile, are concerned that they will be wrongfully convicted. 

More than 300 Myanmar migrant workers including the nine Arakanese detainees reportedly paid K2.8 million to K3 million per person to agents to illegally cross the border to work in Malaysia. Most of them, the nine Arakanese suspects excluded, are expected to be deported to Myanmar.