(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-04-10 10:00

BANGKOK - Fifty-four illegal immigrants from Myanmar died inside one container truck in Thailand's southern province of Ranong on late Wednesday night, local media reported.

Rescue team members inspect the bodies of Myanmar immigrants at Ranong province south of Bangkok April 10, 2008. Fifty four illegal Myanmar immigrants died of suffocation while being smuggled into Thailand in a refrigerated container near the Thai-Myanmar border, a police officer said on Thursday. [Agencies]

The victims included 17 men, 37 women, The Nation TV news channel reported on Thursday morning.

The container truck heading for Bangkok was carrying more than 100 Myanmar nationalists when the driver heard someone making sound from inside the container and got out to check.

When the driver found that some half of the passengers had died in the container, he ditched the truck and ran away, according to the TV channel.