February 13, 2025
BANGKOK – On Wednesday afternoon, Myanmar sent 260 victims of call-centre gangs, rescued from two border towns, back to Thailand for deportation to their respective countries.
Initially, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced that Myanmar would send 53 victims, but a spokesman from the Defence Ministry later clarified that the number of rescued victims from KK Park and Shwe Kokko border towns had risen to 261. They were sent to Thailand via the Phop Phra border checkpoint in Tak at around 3pm.
At 4pm, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA)’s Goltooboh force handed over 260 foreign victims of human trafficking, who had been forced to work in Myanmar, to Thai security officers at Ban Chong Khae, Chong Khae Subdistrict, Phop Phra District, Tak Province.
The Rajmanu Special Task Force, along with military personnel, 9 trucks, Border Patrol Police (BPP), local government officials, and Phop Phra Police, received the victims and transported them to the screening point at BPP Company 346.
Once the victims arrive at the screening point, they will undergo thorough screening using the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) process, a system designed to care for and assist human trafficking victims.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will coordinate with the embassies of each country to facilitate documentation and arrange the repatriation plan as quickly as possible.
Phumtham confirmed that Thailand does not have a policy to establish shelters or refugee centres for these individuals, as it may pose security risks and increase the chance of re-entering the human trafficking cycle. The Thai government has strict measures in place to combat and prevent human trafficking, ensuring a thorough investigation of each victim’s background before repatriation to ensure no involvement with human trafficking networks.
This move follows Thailand’s decision to cut off electricity and oil supplies to these regions in an effort to pressure Myanmar into taking action against scam operations.
Myanmar Must Prove Action Against Scam Gangs
Phumtham emphasised that if Myanmar wants to ease the impact of Thailand’s electricity and oil supply ban, it must first prove that it has successfully eradicated call-centre scam operations in the five border towns.
He also reaffirmed that Thailand would not lift the ban simply because Myanmar threatened to boycott Thai goods, noting that such a boycott would primarily harm Myanmar’s own citizens rather than Thailand.
Investigation and Repatriation of VictimsSince 5 February, Thailand has restricted electricity and oil exports to five Myanmar border towns to pressure the country to take action against scam gangs, most of which are reportedly operated by Chinese nationals.
Conditions for Accepting Victims in ThailandPhumtham stated that the Thai government would only accept these victims if their embassies guaranteed that their home countries would take them back. Without such assurances, Thailand will not permit Myanmar to transfer them.
Additionally, Thai security forces will strengthen border controls to prevent a potential mass influx of scam victims. Proper coordination between Thailand, Myanmar, and the victims’ home countries will be required before any further transfers are allowed.