Thousands of Burmese migrants are feeling Thailand because the special police force from Bangkok are arresting migrants as part of a crackdown in Maesot, a Thai-Burma border town from September 3 morning.

About 300 members of the special police force arrested illegal migrants in Maesot. Over 100 migrants were arrested.

Most migrant workers working in Maesot have no legal documents. So, factory owners closed their work places and told migrant workers to avoid the police, a factory worker said.

"Factories were closed for three days. There are between 100 to 500 migrant workers in each factory. Migrants without legal documents are double the number with legal documents. So, factory owners told migrants to make themselves scarce for a while," the worker said.

A Christian church leader said almost all parts of Maesot town are quiet because a majority of migrant workers have fled.

"Almost all of them are fleeing and hiding in farmlands, gardens, and paddy fields. Some have no place to hide. So, they have gone back to Burma by crossing the river," he added.

The arrests started at 4 a.m. A migrant worker from Maesot said that police arrested migrants from factories, offices, on roads, from markets and wards.

"The police arrested migrants from factories and construction sites and from roads. Migrants are fleeing. Some went back to their homes in Burma. Some were arrested half way on their way back to Burma," the worker said.

The crackdown could be related to the agreement the Thai Prime Minister signed in June with the Burmese regime. Migrants, who have failed to register for temporary passports are being arrested, U Moe Swe, general secretary of Yong Chi Oo Labour Organization, said.

The Thai government will arrest 300,000 migrant workers and send them back to their respective countries between June and October this year, he added.

Though, temporary passports have been issued some Burmese migrants failed to get them.

"Temporary passports have been issued in keeping with the agreement between the two countries but a majority of Burmese migrants don't trust the Burmese military regime so the plan has failed, prompting the arrests," U Moe Swe said.

There are over 70 factories in Maesot and over 100,000 Burmese migrants work in these factories.

According to the Thai Labor Ministry, there are over two million Burmese migrants working in Thailand and over one million and 900,000 Burmese migrants have legal documents; another 900,000 Burmese migrants have already registered. The rest are illegal residents.