Thai’s Warned to be Cautious of Anti-Thai Sentiment in Myanmar after Death Sentence Given to Migrant Workers

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YANGON -The Thai Embassy in Yangon on Thursday issued a warning for Thais in Myanmar to take safety precautions as anti-Thai sentiment has emerged on the country’s social media scene after the Koh Samui provincial court sentenced to death two Myanmar men in the Koh Tao murders.

The statement said some Myanmar people had taken to the social media to voice their opposition to the death sentence for the two Myanmar workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun, and arrange to gather in front of the Thai embassy in Yangon on Friday. The embassy will be closed for the Christmas holiday.

Earlier, about 30 Myanmar people staged a peaceful protest outside the embassy at about 3pm and left about an hour later, according to the embassy and Thai Foreign Ministry officials.

The embassy encouraged all Thais living and travelling in Myanmar to take extra precautions and to avoid identifying themselves as Thais in public venues for the time being.

It urged Thai people there to follow up the situation and be ready for the embassy’s further announcements.

The Myanmar authorities have assigned 15 to 20 extra police officers to guard the Thai embassy. There has been no reports of any Thai national being affected by the situation yet.