Several Burmese migrant workers, including two children aged about 10 years, were arrested and sent to the IDC main prison by Immigration officials this morning, following an earlier raid at the Fish Box Factory. The factory is located near Banbaw Railway Station, on the Phalansoung main road, Bangkok, Thailand.

At 6 am, thirty officers from the combined forces of Thai immigration and police, arrived at the factory compound and checked work IDs of the all the workers in the rooms. At first, all workers from A. B. and C buildings were arrested and loaded onto trucks. Most were later released when authorities from the factory arrived and showed relevant working permit documents.

Two 10 Year old children and three workers were arrested. Although they had work permits, these were issued to work in a different province and so all were taken to the IDC Main prison.

The father of one of the arrested children, Kyaw Soe Min, said; "My wife and I have a work ID. He was sleeping, he tried to run when the police came but they had already circled our building". The mother added that the child had only been in Thailand for two months.

Ko Ashaygyi (who has lived near the factory for almost ten years) said; "Before the factory had a good relationship with local authorities, but this year they may have stopped paying under the table for work IDs for new arrivals. That is why I think they might have raided the factory, but I’m not sure".

Maung Zaw Linn, a 12 year old child from Kawkarieak, Karen State, originally staying and learning at one of the monasteries in Bangkok, was arrested when he came home to rest with his mother because he felt sick.

Ko Nyi Nyi, elder brother of Maung Zaw Linn said; "Because my younger brother was arrested, I went to the IDC main prison. The officer said to me that ‘very hard talking Burmese, Cambodian and Lao apply for passports but nothing happens. If these Burmese don’t get passports by the end of this year, we will be arresting more.’ “Ko Nyi Nyi added “It seems to me that they are pressuring us to get passports.”

Both the Thai and Burmese Governments implemented passport processing, but they do not go through smoothly or successfully. The legal term for Burmese migrant workers to stay and work in Thailand will end next February 28th.