Over in Myanmar, the Asia-Pacific zone just put out a notice saying they've gotten the green light from the local military to start bringing in new people again. But it's not cheap. The notice clearly states that for Chinese and other foreigners, the entry fee is set at 300,000 Thai Baht per person. And that's not even counting the various checkpoint fees and transport costs. For locals, it's a bit cheaper at 155,000 Baht, but checkpoint fees are extra.
Folks handling these arrangements better be careful. The notice warns that anyone caught trying to smuggle people in will face a hefty fine of 2 million Baht if nabbed by military patrols. Not only will they be financially drained, but the ringleaders will be jailed, and their company will be blacklisted permanently. These days, with motorbikes zipping around, the value of people in the zone fluctuates like goods, with clear price tags.
This news is spreading around local circles, just the kind of thing people chat about over iced coffee at the café. The rules seem to change on a whim—strict one day, then relaxed the next if they need more people and money. Locals passing by the zone just shake their heads, carrying on with life as usual. No one really knows how long this high-priced buying and selling will keep going.
