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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Burma migrants suffocate in lorry | Burma migrants suffocate in lorry |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| More than 50 Burmese illegal migrants have suffocated in the back of a lorry taking them into southern Thailand, Thai police say. | More than 50 Burmese illegal migrants have suffocated in the back of a lorry taking them into southern Thailand, Thai police say. |
| The 54 migrants were found dead inside the packed container lorry after dozens more managed to escape from the vehicle and flag down police. | The 54 migrants were found dead inside the packed container lorry after dozens more managed to escape from the vehicle and flag down police. |
| Police said the migrants had suffocated after the air-conditioning failed. | Police said the migrants had suffocated after the air-conditioning failed. |
| Thailand acts as a magnet for poor Burmese workers, with thousands risking the often perilous journey there. | Thailand acts as a magnet for poor Burmese workers, with thousands risking the often perilous journey there. |
| Enticing wages | Enticing wages |
| Police said that the Burmese workers had crossed to the Thai town of Ranong from Burma's southern tip at Victoria Point - a route often used by illegal immigrants. | Police said that the Burmese workers had crossed to the Thai town of Ranong from Burma's southern tip at Victoria Point - a route often used by illegal immigrants. |
| They had been packed into an airtight lorry for the journey to the resort island of Phuket, Col Kraithong Chanthongbai said, but the ventilation failed. | They had been packed into an airtight lorry for the journey to the resort island of Phuket, Col Kraithong Chanthongbai said, but the ventilation failed. |
| "When police got to the scene, they found that 54 of the workers were already dead in the packed container truck," the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying. | "When police got to the scene, they found that 54 of the workers were already dead in the packed container truck," the Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying. |
| Twenty-one other workers were taken to hospital, he said. As many as 46 other workers did not require hospital treatment and were detained. | Twenty-one other workers were taken to hospital, he said. As many as 46 other workers did not require hospital treatment and were detained. |
| One Burmese migrant's story | |
| The driver of the lorry fled the scene. | The driver of the lorry fled the scene. |
| There are thought to be up to two million Burmese workers in Thailand, half of whom are in the country illegally. | There are thought to be up to two million Burmese workers in Thailand, half of whom are in the country illegally. |
| They fill low-paid, often dangerous jobs in sectors including textiles, construction and fisheries. | They fill low-paid, often dangerous jobs in sectors including textiles, construction and fisheries. |
| But these jobs offer the migrants salaries that far exceed what they could earn in military-ruled Burma. | But these jobs offer the migrants salaries that far exceed what they could earn in military-ruled Burma. |