Mae Sot is a Thai town close to the Myanmar border. The border reopened in August 2021, allowing Burmese migrant workers in Thailand to return home. This special economic zone has been home to Myanmar people of all ages – from newly born children to grandparents.
As Thailand began opening its borders, welcoming back thousands of Myanmar people who work in Thailand’s factories, farms and homes, WHO Thailand joined the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health, to find out if these returning migrants were educated about protective measures from COVID-19, and what more could be done to ensure infections are minimised.
In November, DDC carried out a survey among the Myanmar migrant workers in this area to identify their knowledge, attitude, risk perception and health behavioural practices regarding COVID-19, and find out if they’d received any COVID-19 vaccine. The survey was carried out to inform the Thai government of any specific prevention and control measures required for these people, and to determine if a COVID-19 vaccination program needed to be established for Myanmar migrant workers.
The activity is part of a project titled ‘Enhancing Risk Communication and Community Engagement Among Thai and Non-Thai People on COVID-19 Vaccine Communication’ technically supported by WHO and funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The survey reached out to 500 people from a variety of groups, including migrants with one-day passes working at Mae Sot border checkpoints, local communities, and Myanmar workers in Thailand from agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
During the two-day visit, over 3,000 migrant workers were also vaccinated by Thailand’s Mae Sot district health office, with the support of local healthcare professionals and volunteer organisations.
"The Ministry of Public Health realised how important it is to take care of the health of migrant workers in Thailand. Results from the survey will be used to inform policy recommendations on COVID-19 prevention and response for these migrant populations," said Dr Pahurat Khongmuang Taisuwan, the project manager and the Director of the Secretariat Office of the Royal Development Projects Committee, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health.
19-year-old assistant car mechanic Min works in the Mae Sot Free Zone. He takes health precautions seriously and wears a mask and cleans his hands more regularly than usual to prevent himself from contracting COVID-19.
46-year-old A Ma Win lives in Myanmar and has been working at the border for more than ten years. He transports oxygen tanks back and forth and has managed to avoid catching COVID-19. He is fully vaccinated and still wears a mask and washes his hands often to prevent COVID-19 infection.
Kriengsak Armeen and his wife Wahe Dao restarted their street food business five days ago after a long break triggered by the pandemic. Every day, he encourages others to get the vaccine to protect themselves and the community, while still trying to secure a vaccination appointment in Mae Sot for himself.
Bew, 45, came with a maize farm owner to get vaccinated at the vaccination site organised by Mae Sot district health office. She’s pleased to have been vaccinated.
See the photo album here