Thai soldiers patrol the border with Myanmar this morning to stop illegal migrants after the neighbouring country suffered a dramatic spike in Covid-19 cases.

Officers in speedboats carried machine guns while patrolled the Mae Sai River in Chiang Rai province in the north of the country.

The river is a popular crossing point used by Burmese migrants attempting to enter and work illegally in Thailand, where wages are higher than their impoverished homeland.

Officials fear that illegal Burmese immigrants could cause an outbreak of the coronavirus in Thailand, which has not seen any local transmissions for around three months having kept its borders closed since March 22.

Colonel Chatree Sanguantham said that soldiers had detained several Burmese people this month after they waded across the river to enter Thailand.

He said: ''We are focusing on risk spots and natural channels along the river where it is not too deep for people to cross. We have already arrested people trying to enter illegally.''

Myanmar, also known as Burma, has seen a huge spike in Covid-19 cases with hundreds in the last week. They have recorded 1,111 since recording began as of September 4.