34 Thais nabbed attempting to sneak home via rat trails

Thirty four Thai nationals including six children resorted to return home illegally to avoid undergoing health screening by riding motorcycles through rat trails at the Malaysian-Thai border.

In two separate raids, Thai authorities seized 18 motorcycles and crippled their attempts.

In the first incident early yesterday morning, 29 Thais including six children on 15 motorcycles were apprehended in the jungle at Saba Yoi, Songkhla near the Malaysian-Thai border.

In the second incident, the authorities detained five Thais including four women and seized three motorcycles in the jungle near Na Thawi, Songkhla on Friday.

Saba Yoi assistant district officer, Ridthachart Thasajajun said all of them were believed to be from the same group.

"They tried to smuggle in as they did not want to go through health screening at the border checkpoint.

"Now they have to undergo 14-day quarantine and fined for entering the country illegally," he said.

Thailand closed all nine border checkpoints with Malaysia since March 23, as one of the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 infection.

However starting from April 18, Thailand has reopened five border checkpoints with Malaysia to enable its citizens who were stranded in Malaysia to return home in stages and they have to undergo the compulsory 14-day quarantine.

Nonetheless, only 350 people are allowed to enter Thailand daily.

--BERNAMA