Women traveling from mainland Myanmar to Tachileik in eastern Shan State, near the Thai border, in search of jobs are being stopped and extorted at a junta checkpoint on the Tarkaw Bridge over the Thanlwin (Salween) River, according to witnesses who experienced the incidents.
The checkpoint at the bridge between Karli and Mongpying towns is reportedly targeting women, particularly those carrying national identification cards (NICs) issued in the Sagaing, Magway, Bago, and Yangon regions, and restricting their passage. Soldiers are also allegedly demanding money from women who wish to cross the bridge.
“We presented all the required documents and recommendation letters, but the soldiers at the checkpoint still did not let us pass. Some people who paid 100,000 MMK were allowed through, but recently there have also been cases where even those offering bribes were denied passage,” a woman who witnessed the situation told Shan Herald.
Soldiers at the checkpoint said the restrictions on women’s movement were based on direct orders from the head of the Triangle Region Military Command, though they did not give any further details about the order.
Some travelers reported experiencing verbal abuse from soldiers, as well as having their phones and NICs confiscated.
Due to ongoing political and economic instability in Myanmar, many women from mainland regions are traveling to the frontier town of Tachileik and nearby areas in Thailand to seek work, despite numerous challenges and risks.
“Many of them have come to Tachileik for work, driven by the political situations, while others prefer to seek employment on the Thai side. However, even those with all the required documents are being stopped at the Tarkaw Bridge checkpoint, denied passage, and left uncertain about what to do next,” the aforementioned woman said.
Shan Herald attempted to contact the relevant military command for comment on the matter, but received no response.
The Tarkaw Bridge over the Thanlwin River was opened in the first week of April 2025.
In early February, according to bus ticket sales agencies, the junta also imposed travel restrictions on NIC holders from areas with strong resistance activity.
The restrictions specifically applied to NICs issued to residents of northern Shan State townships, including Kyaukme, Lashio, Namtu, Thibaw (Hsipaw), and Konekyan; Mogok Township in Mandalay Region; Monywa, Shwebo, and Myaung in Sagaing Region; townships in Magway Region; and all townships in Arakan (Rakhine) State. The junta has instructed these NIC holders to obtain recommendation letters from ward administration offices and police stations for each trip.
