Mass grave of 'boatpeople' found in southern Thailand
Around 30 graves believed to belong to migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh were discovered Friday in southern Thailand, officials said, in an area criss-crossed with trafficking routes.
The grave site was found in Sadao district of Songkhla province at an abandoned camp for 'boatpeople' who had apparently been trafficked to Thailand's border area with Malaysia, a zone notorious for housing remote camps for trafficked migrants.
"There are 32 graves, four bodies have now been exhumed and are on their way... to hospital to for an autopsy," Sathit Thamsuwan a rescue worker, who was at the scene soon after the site was found, told AFP.
"The bodies were all decayed," he said, adding a single man from Bangladesh survived and is being treated at a hospital in nearby Padang Besar.
The local hospital confirmed the Bangladeshi man had survived and was in a stable condition.
The grisly discovery of the grave was also confirmed by a senior official from Sadao.
"There are more than 20 graves," he said, requesting anonymity.
"Military and border patrol police have now cordoned the area off so we can bring forensic officials to the site."