Fourteen countries are appealing to Thailand for assistance in rescuing their citizens who have been trafficked to Myanmar by scam center gangs, according to multiple reports.
Currently, hundreds of foreigners find themselves trapped by online scamming and human trafficking operations that are based just across the Moei River from Mae Sot in Tak province. These criminal networks have turned this area into what some advocacy groups refer to as a “hell on earth.”
In response, House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha convened an urgent meeting following an earlier discussion led by Fair Party MP Kannavee Suebsang. Mr. Kannavee reported receiving requests for assistance from embassies and non-governmental organizations representing the 14 affected countries.
During the meeting, Mr. Wan also mentioned being approached by ambassadors from Kenya and Sri Lanka regarding the grave situation.
The committees on legal affairs, justice and human rights and national security convened later that day to address the issue. However, immediate outcomes from these discussions have not been disclosed.
“While Thailand has mechanisms in place to support human trafficking victims, we need to address the root causes of this crisis,” stated Mr. Kannavee. “It’s impossible to intercept every act of trafficking, especially with over 100,000 foreigners entering Mae Sot annually.”
In a bid to combat this issue, police established a checkpoint on Highway 12 in Mae Sot last month, aimed at preventing foreigners from being lured into illegal work across the border.
Mr. Kannavee emphasized the need for the prime minister and her deputy in charge of security to develop a comprehensive strategy to tackle this escalating problem. “What was once perceived as Thailand’s issue appears to now be an exploitation of the country by international criminal syndicates,” he added.
The Civil Society Network for Victim Assistance in Human Trafficking reported that over 300 individuals from more than ten nations are currently being detained and coerced into working for online scam and other criminal operations in Myanmar.
The area in question, Myawaddy, is located just across the Moei River from Mae Sot and Phop Phra districts, and is largely controlled by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), who profiting from these illicit activities.
The advocacy group has gathered data about the situation from various sources, including embassies representing the countries whose citizens have fallen victim to these trafficking schemes.
In addition to operating scam centers, many of which are run by foreign nationals, Myawaddy is also involved in trafficking Rohingya people and drug trade. This situation has led to the characterization of Mae Sot and Phop Phra districts as a dangerous “gateway to hell.”
