The 5th Infantry Division, which is responsible for border security in Songkhla, has been placed on alert to prevent illegal entry during this period.

Since April 1, security teams have repaired over 100 holes in the fence along the 86-kilometre-long Songkhla border with Malaysia, which is a notorious transit point for smugglers. The teams also arrested seven suspected smugglers, all Thai.

The deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave Malaysia resulted in 119 Thais returning on April 19, with another 181 registered to return tomorrow. All will be screened and placed in state quarantine for 14 days.

Songkhla recorded 29 new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections in the province since the third wave began to 269.

Army braces for wave of Thai returnees on Malaysia’s deadline day

Officials in Songkhla’s border district of Sadao are preparing to screen more Thai returnees from Malaysia, after authorities there gave overstayers and illegal migrants until Thursday (April 21) to leave the country.