KOTA BARU: Desperate Malaysian men are breaking the law to cross over illegally into Thailand to see their families there after being separated by Covid-19 and movement restrictions in both countries.
The Malaysian men include those from Kelantan who have taken Thai women as their second wives and were detected sneaking into the kingdom by crossing Sungai Golok which separates the two countries.
Sungai Golok deputy mayor Che Rosdi Che Omar who confirmed this said the information was gleaned from several Malaysian men nabbed for entering Sungai Golok sub-province via the river recently.
"I believe they were willing to take the risk as they are desperate to see their wives and families here.
"Before this, they can be with their families two or three times in a month but since the border was closed and a travel ban was imposed following the Covid-19 pandemic, they had no choice but to wait it out.
"But the patience of waiting for a long time has proven to be quite a test on them ... many began to miss their wife and children in Sungai Golok town and several areas in Narathiwat province," he said.
He cited the latest case last week where a 53-year-old Kelantan man was nabbed while attempting to sneak into Thailand using a boat.
"The man was detained following a report lodged by locals about a man sneaking into Kampung Thasai in Sungai Golok town without a valid travel document.
"He also claimed that he had paid 300 Baht (RM41) to a Thai boatman for his services. He claimed that he was missing his wife and three young children currently residing in Narathiwat."
He said the man was detained and was currently undergoing mandatory Covid-19 quarantine before legal action is taken against him for attempting to sneak into Thailand without valid documents.
Last month, he said a 59-year-old Malaysian civil servant was arrested after he crossed over to Thailand via an illegal jetty in Rantau Panjang.
"Thai authorities believe that many Malaysian men had crossed over to Thailand illegally via Sungai Golok these days for the same purpose but luck was on their side as they were not caught," he said.
On the recent move on the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between some 20 Thai village heads and Thai border agencies, Che Rosdi said more than 10 Thais were caught for crossing over to Malaysia and vice-versa since the MOU was signed last week.
"They were caught after crossing over to areas in Munduk from Kampung Bukit Lata at Rantau Panjang side," he added.
He said the MOU was signed between the village heads and Thai border enforcement agencies such as the police and the army, to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
