Citizens Await Assistance at Military Camp in Tak Amid Human Trafficking Crackdown
PUBLISHED : 19 Feb 2025 at 21:37
FORT WACHIRAPRAKAN, Thailand – Within a Thai military camp, four Ethiopian men shared harrowing accounts of the abuse they endured in Myanmar’s notorious scam centers. Yotor, a 19-year-old, displayed cuts along his leg and recounted receiving daily electric shocks as punishment.
Yotor and his fellow victims are part of a group of 260 individuals, primarily human trafficking survivors, recently rescued and sent to Thailand as part of an enhanced crackdown on scam operations along the border.
The United Nations reports that for years, criminal syndicates have trafficked hundreds of thousands of individuals to scam compounds throughout Southeast Asia, especially along the Thai-Myanmar border, forcing them into illegal online scams.
This crackdown gained momentum following the high-profile abduction of a Chinese actor, which drew significant attention to trafficking issues and prompted decisive action from Thai authorities.
In response to the situation, Thailand has restricted electricity, fuel, and internet access in key border areas and facilitated the repatriation of victims with assistance from Chinese officials.
Around 7,000 individuals rescued from scam operations in Myanmar are awaiting transfer to Thailand, with plans to repatriate approximately 600 Chinese nationals starting Thursday.
Many of those who escaped reported being forced to work up to 20 hours daily, tasked with deceiving victims through messaging applications. They voiced that while they were labeled as scammers, they are, in fact, victims of a larger illicit network.
