Mae Sot: Officials continue to transport Chinese call center victims back home for the third day, while civil society networks are rushing to provide assistance to 29 more foreign call center victims detained in Myawaddy.
According to Thai News Agency, Thai and Chinese officials have been working in tandem to transport Chinese victims of call centers and scammers from Myawaddy, Myanmar, into Thailand. The victims have been brought across the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge by bus and are being processed through the Thai Immigration Bureau's biometric system, which includes fingerprinting and facial scanning. This process ensures that these individuals are blacklisted and prohibited from re-entering Thailand. After processing, they are sent to Mae Sot Airport to board flights back to China.
Today, adjustments have been made to the flight schedule, reducing the number of flights from six to four due to weather conditions in China. Tomorrow marks the last day of the second round of repatriating Chinese citizens from Myawaddy, with a total of three flights scheduled. Over the course of four days, a total of 1,439 Chinese nationals will have been sent back. However, over 5,000 Chinese nationals and foreigners from 29 different nationalities remain detained by the Border Guard Force (BGF) and the Karen DKBA, awaiting repatriation by their respective countries. Reports indicate that Indian authorities are preparing to receive their nationals back via Mae Sot Airport within the next 2-3 days.
Meanwhile, a civil society network dedicated to aiding victims of human trafficking has been providing essential supplies to hundreds of foreigners detained in the DKBA Karen group area, opposite Ban Chong Khaep, Tambon Chong Khaep, Amphoe Phop Phra.
Ms. Khupo, a representative from the network, stated that most of the detained foreigners have been requesting assistance to return home after being held for three weeks. They are facing shortages of food and essential items, with pregnant women among those expressing concern over the extended detention period's impact on their health and hygiene. The network is urging for the expedited repatriation of these individuals to their home countries.