SONGKHLA: Thai local authorities arrested 40 Myanmar nationals who were trying to enter Malaysia illegally via Sadao, Songkhla, near the Thai-Malaysia border.

       In the incident at about 1am (local time), authorities arrested the Myanmar nationals, comprising 31 men and nine women, who were hiding in a rubber plantation in Samnak Kham near the Sadao-Bukit Kayu Hitam border.

       Sadao district police chief Pol Col Bantern Laochareng said the group of Myanmar nationals were believed to have been brought by middlemen from Myanmar to Thailand by boat via Ranong on March 31.

       "They were taken to the Thailand-Malaysia border while waiting to be smuggled into Penang, Malaysia last night.

       "Preliminary investigation found that they had to pay 60,000 baht (RM7,540) per person to enter Malaysia where the payment of 30,000 baht was made before the trip and 30,000 baht after arriving and starting work in Malaysia," he said in a press conference on Wednesday (April 6).

       He said police are tracking down four more individuals - a Thai national and three Myanmar nationals - who were believed to have escaped in the raid. - Bernama