Mae Sot market in Myanmar-Thai border temporarily closed as the numbers of cases higher in COVID-19 Third wave
Mae Sot market in Myanmar-Thai border situated in downtown Mae Sot was temporarily closed from August 4 to August 10 by Thai authorities in the COVID-19 Third wave.
The market sells products from Myanmar such as fish paste, dry fish, dry prawn, various kinds of food, and clothing. Many Myanmar migrant workers are working at the market. In Mae Sot, there are upper market and lower market. Now, the upper market will be temporarily closed.
“Myanmar workers are anxious as the market will be closed temporarily. But they can buy at lower market and Macro shopping mall. The market was packed with shoppers a day before the market was closed,” said a Myanmar living in Thailand.
More than 100,000 Myanmar migrant workers are working in Mae Sot.
In Tak province including Mae Sot, there are about 400 factories and industries opened legally or illegally. There are over 200,000 Myanmar migrant workers working at these factories and they faced hardships during COVID-19 crisis according to a Myanmar worker who doesn’t want to be identified.