900 Chinese scammed in Myanmar repatriated via Thailand

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin

The Bangkok Post reported on March 3rd, citing Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, that Thai authorities have facilitated the repatriation of 900 Chinese citizens stranded in fraud centers in Myanmar.

Thai police said the operation, which took place from February 22-24, involved transporting Chinese citizens from the border town of Myawaddy in Myanmar to an airport in the border district of Mae Sot in Thailand, where they were transferred onto Chinese planes.

"This is a joint volunteer campaign between China, Myanmar, and Thailand. The process is carried out voluntarily, based on humanitarian principles, and is not coerced," according to Prime Minister Srettha.

Thai Deputy Police Chief Surachae Hakparn said the operation included 15 flights over three days to bring Chinese victims of fraud back home.

According to Reuters, the Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Myanmar military spokesman did not answer the phone when called for comment on the incident.

Many Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar, regularly grapple with telecommunications and online fraud, with hundreds of thousands of people being deceived by criminals and forced to work in scam centers and other illegal activities.

In November 2023, Myanmar authorities handed over 31,000 suspected telecommunications fraudsters to China in a joint crackdown on online fraud in Myanmar.

China and Myanmar also helped facilitate the repatriation of more than 200 Thai nationals, including victims and those involved in telecommunications fraud gangs, who were trapped in fighting between the Myanmar military and armed ethnic minority groups in the Laukkaing area of ​​northern Shan State.

A border area in Myanmar (across the river) is believed to be a hub for scammers.

SCREENSHOT FROM BANGKOK POST

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/900-nguoi-trung-quoc-bi-lua-o-myanmar-duoc-hoi-huong-qua-duong-thai-lan-185240303210828996.htm