Ethnic Kachins from northern Burma (Myanmar) have been entering Malaysia through the Three Pagoda Pass (TPP) on the Thai-Burma border.

A tout in TPP who ferries Kachin people said they came from Kachin State to Mon State being passed on from tout to another.

"I don't know how they came from their native town. I took over from another broker and I sent them on their way," the tout said.

He added that each person is charged about1.5 million Kyat (US$ 1180) for passage from Kachin State to Malaysia. They don't need to pay in Burma and can pay the broker in Malaysia.

Source close to these brokers in TPP said "They have already sent about 20 Kachins to Malaysia and about 200 plan to enter Malaysia soon. It is very difficult to bring them to TPP, so we just carry about two people at a time."

A Moulmein (Mawlamyine) resident in Mon State said that Kachin people were detained and investigated for a while in Moulmein- Martaban Bridge gate by policemen when they came with the group. 

U Myo Kyi, chairman of TPP Township ordered local authorities and asked ceasefire groups to keep him informed if Cyclone Nargis victims arrived in TPP planning to enter Thailand.

Not only Kachin people and cyclone victims but people from southern Burma arrive in TPP to enter Thailand.

According to source close to the Thai police, they arrest migrants who enter from TPP with the help of Mudon touts. The migrants were detained by the police, but the tout ran away.