Thousands of Burmese migrants fleeing the flooding disaster in Bangkok were today welcomed at the Thai-Burma border between Mae Sot and Myawaddy by Burmese border authorities, according to border sources.

Burmese migrants are herded onto a boat to be deported to Myawaddy.

Authorities are taking photos and video of the migrants who are coming back at the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army [rebel militia] (DKBA) at 999 gate. They are giving free services to cross the border and even a free bottle of drinking water,” said one eye-witness in Mae Sot.

The eye-witness confirmed they are not charging anything to cross the border, while previously Burmese migrants had to pay approximately 100 baht (3.28 $) for transportation across the border.

According to the border sources, over the last two days the Burmese police have been investigating operations of the DKBA at the 999 gate in Myawaddy after media reported rights abuses including taking illegal money from thousands of Burmese migrants.

Several Burmese migrants have reported to The Irrawaddy that they had to pay bribe money at the gate in order to pass and in some cases were made to purchase Karen-language VCDs for 200 baht (6.55 $).

One victim who was deported to Myawaddy on October 26 said, “I paid 2,500 baht (81.89 $) to the DKBA 999 gate in Myawaddy. Once I was through, I had to pay THB20 [USD$0.66] for each bag I was carrying, 20 bath (0.66 $) for the ferry and 80 baht (2.62 $) to get a motorcycle taxi back to Mae Sot.

In some cases Burmese migrants have been exploited by Burmese authorities, the DKBA, and even Thai immigration officials who have also been witnessed accepting large payments to allow border crossing. A Karen businessman in Mae Sot said, “These people do not have heart. They only know how to take money from people.”

These past weeks have seen some of the worst floods ever recorded in Thailand, particularly in Bangkok where many residents and migrant workers have been forced to flee the city. Burmese migrants continue to return to Burma as the flooding continues to worsen, with an estimated 2,000 people crossing the border each day.

With this influx, visa agents are relishing the increase in business, with at least ten new visa places now set up along the Friendship Bridge between Thailand and Burma at Myawaddy. Burmese migrant sources who hold border passports said that they cooperated with immigration officials and visa agents in Mae Sot and were charged 1,300 baht (42.58 $) for a visa compared with the pre-flood price of 1, 000 baht (32.75 $).

Meanwhile, Burmese authorities in Three Pagodas Pass including the military, immigration officials, police and township authorities have taxed one person 500 baht (16.38 $) from Burmese migrants. About 600 migrants crossed the border in Three Pagodas Pass yesterday.

A resident in Three Pagodas Pass said, “They have set up a table at the border gate and they are taking money from every migrant. They told the migrants it is a tax.”

Andy Hall, a consultant to the Thailand-based Human Rights and Development Foundation, said, “I am going to contact the Myanmar ambassador to bring attention to these latest migrant issues.

They (Burmese migrants) should not be exploited by Thai authorities and Myanmar authorities. They should not be taking money from those fleeing a natural disaster. It is a human rights abuse and it is unacceptable,” he said.