BANGKOK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Former and current Thai officials say the political and ethnical turmoil in Myanmar is causing security issues as refugees flee to Thailand.
The officials said a steady stream of refugees has been trickling into the country for years as tensions within Myanmar, formerly Burma, particularly in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay, drive many of the country's citizens to flee, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
"For us, it is indeed a security problem," said Kraisak Choonhavan, who served in the Thai senate until the military coup in 2006.
Officials with the Thai government estimate 3 million Myanmar citizens have fled to Thailand over the years, and they said the number could be much higher as some refugees do not register with the Thai government or the non-governmental agencies that provide care.
Many of the refugees reside in camps near the border that are closely guarded by the Thai military, but others have gone further into the country to seek employment and assimilate into the country's population.
