Thai police officers rescued five Chinese nationals who were taken to the Thai-Myanmar border instead of their intended destination in Pattaya, where they were reportedly about to be trafficked to work for a call centre scam gang.
The Director of the Department of Child and Women Protection and Anti-Human Trafficking, Prachuap Wongsook, announced the successful rescue mission at a press conference yesterday, November 12. The exact date of the incident was not disclosed.
According to Prachuap, immigration officers observed a suspicious vehicle at the Ban Huay Hin Fon Checkpoint on the Bae Sot-Tak Road in the northern province of Tak. Officers stopped the vehicle and discovered five male and female Chinese nationals inside.
A Chinese interpreter was called to the scene to assist with the investigation. Officers checked the tourists‘ documents and found that they legally entered Thailand for a holiday.
Through the interpreter, the Chinese tourists revealed that they came to Thailand to visit Pattaya and hired a chauffeur, whose nationality was not disclosed, to drive them from Bangkok to Pattaya. However, the driver unexpectedly changed course and took them to Tak, near the Thai-Myanmar border.
Police officers confirmed that the Chinese nationals were victims of human trafficking and arranged for them to continue their trip to Pattaya.
Prachuap reported that the driver was likely intending to take the group to Myawaddy in Myanmar, near Tak province, to work for the call centre scam gang.
There has been no report on whether the driver was arrested for deceiving the Chinese nationals or for his involvement with the criminal gang.
The Tak Provincial Immigration Office disclosed to MGR Online that 101 foreign victims of human trafficking have been rescued in the province, with most victims originating from Uganda, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.
Prachuap emphasised that the Thai government and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) are prioritising the fight against human trafficking to prevent Thailand from becoming a central hub for trafficking people to third countries. Police have tightened measures at checkpoints nationwide and are utilising artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations.
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