Fake News! No truth to extortion racket at Mae Sai/Tachilek border say Thais

 

Thai caption (red): Fake News - be sure before sharing

 

The head of Chiang Rai immigration has said there is no truth to claims that the Myanmar authorities are mixed up in a drugs extortion racket at the Mae Sai/Tachilek border crossing. 

 

He has asked people to stop sharing a post as it is damaging to both Thai and Myanmar border officials. 

 

The post claimed that Myanmar beggar children would approach Thais on the bridge and pester them for money. Some gave in and handed over 50 or 100 baht. The children then planted a Ya Ba tablet on the Thais that was swiftly followed up by Myanmar officials running up and making a search.

 

On finding the drug the people duped in this way were extorted out of 20,000 to 30,000 baht to effect their release. If they didn't pay they were told they would be taken away inside Myanmar.

 

They were warned not to contact the Thai authorities about it, the post claimed. 

 

Chiang Rai immigration chief Pol Col Chatchai Samniang sent a team in to investigate and found the story to be completely false. 

 

He asked the public to stop sharing the fake news that was damaging to both the Myanmar and Thai officials at the crossing. 

 

Naew Na said that the public can phone 1178 if they need help. 

 

Source: Naew Na

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-20

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

For some reason it doesn't read as fake to me.

Chiang Rai immigration team sent in. “Are you guys planting drugs and extorting money?”

Myanmar officials, “that’s fake news!”

All cleared up then.

I have recently returned from a shopping trip across the border into Tachilek from Mai Sai and during my visit I never saw or encountered any beggar children on the bridge or in the narrow market streets below. Yes, there were elderly adults, some crippled, who were sat begging but no evidence of any yaba pills. I found both Thai and Myanmar Immigration Officials very courteous. So, as far as I am concerned "fake news". Oh, by the way many Myanmar vendors trying to sell Viagra, cigarettes and perfume - probably also fake as well!