Two parliamentary commissions of Thailand have begun discussions on calls from 14 countries to assist in the liberation of their citizens who have become victims of human trafficking and found themselves in Myanmar due to the actions of fraudulent centers.
Hundreds of foreign citizens remain captive with criminal groups engaged in online militia and trafficking, operating in the area near the river separating Thailand from Myanmar, using Thailand territory as a transit point.
The speaker of the parliament, Van Muhammad Nur Mata, initiated an urgent meeting after the deputy from the Fair Party, Cannavi Suebsan, raised this issue during a morning meeting of the parliament. Cannavi stated that he received requests for help from embassies and non-governmental organizations from 14 countries.
Ambassadors of Kenya and Sri Lanka in Thailand also approached Mr. Wang with concerns. On the same day, meetings were held for committees on legal issues, justice and human rights, as well as national security, border cases, and reforms.
Although the outcomes of the discussions have not been revealed yet, Cannavi emphasized the necessity to address the root causes of the problem, stating that it’s challenging to intercept every trafficking attempt when over 100 thousand foreigners enter Ma Sot annually.
Previously, police set up a checkpoint on Highway 12 in the Ma Sot area to prevent the illegal employment of foreigners. However, Cannavi called upon the Prime Minister and his deputy overseeing security issues to establish a more effective mechanism to combat this threat.
“Once we believed this was solely Thailand’s internal problem. Now it’s clear that international criminal syndicates are using our country for their illegal operations,” remarked Mr. Van.
A civilian network assisting human trafficking victims reported that over 300 people from over 10 countries are held and forced to work on fraudulent online projects in Myanmar. Most of the criminal activity is concentrated in the Myaveddi area, under the control of the Karen border detachment and the democratic army of Buddhists-karins, generating substantial income from illicit business.
In addition to online monitoring, primarily controlled by Chinese citizens, illegal trafficking of people, drugs, and trading of Rohingya is thriving in this region. The regions of Me Sot and PHOP PRI are increasingly referred to as “gates to hell,” highlighting their crucial role in supporting the international criminal network.