Eight Burmese nationals, who entered Thailand with the help of human traffickers, were arrested in Maesod, the Thai-Burma border town last month.

The arrested included five women and three men, who live in The Ein Su village, Paung Township, Mon state. They were detained in Mae Lamueng inspection gate on the way to Bangkok, a local said.

"Han Win Aung is among three men, who were arrested. I don't know the names of the other two. They were brought to Maesod on 15 June around 6 pm. by a human trafficker. They were given tickets on the bus and told "show the ticket if the police come to check ".

U Hla Than (a) Saw Hla Than, who lives in the same village, brought them over to Thailand and told them he would provide legal documents and find them jobs in Bangkok. He collected Kyat 5.5 lakhs from each person.

The detained are Ma Mya Mya Win, Ma Kyi Thar, Ma Aye Mya Thway, Ma Thinn Pwint Khaing (a) Ma Thin, Ma Aye Khaing Oo, Han Win Aung and two boys. Ma Thinn Pwint Khaing and Ma Aye Khaing Oo have been detained in Tak district's children’s prison because they are underage. The rest have been detained in Maesod prison.

They were arrested on June 15 and produced in a court in Maesod for holding fake passports.

According to Thai laws, if a person holds a fake passport, he or she can be sentenced to three years in prison. A Thai police officer said that if a person carries a passport belonging to another person, the holder will be sentenced to seven months in jail.

"It is learnt that the eight arrested can be sentenced to seven months in jail. There could be both a prison term and a fine.

Saw Hla Than is absconding. It is learnt that the driver Phi Chai, a Karen ethnic and a Thai citizen, has been released on bail.

Even though Thai authorities have been strictly monitoring and arresting migrants since early this month, Burmese migrants keep flowing into Thailand in myriad ways.