Mae Sot's trade vs security dilemma

At Mae Sot International Airport, all passengers must now undergo a strict immigration check and police screening before they can board designated flights. The new stringent measures aim to prevent scammers from using this western border hub as a transit route across the border.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

It has been nearly two months since the Paetongtarn government launched a crackdown on scam call centres by cutting essential services such as electricity, telecommunications, and fuel. The action also made Mae Sot headline news.

The question is what the aftermath of the crackdown will be. Which steps must the Thai government take to balance protecting national security and restoring trade?

According to the latest research headed by the Asian Research Center for Migration at Chulalongkorn University, national security remains a major concern in border towns along the Thai and Myanmar border. The political situation in Myanmar continues to push displaced persons and migrant workers into Thailand.

After the crackdown in February, informal trade surprisingly surged to 65% of total border trade, while overall inside through checkpoints drastically dropped to 35%, affecting government revenue and border control.

Despite multiple agencies involved in Thai-Myanmar border management, these agencies, especially customs and labour, have rarely worked on the same page or shared information.

The government seriously needs to ensure that these government agencies work logically. More important, it needs to create a centralised database where government bodies or any organisation can access data on Mae Sot and border situations.