BANGKOK — Thai police have begun acting on China’s list of 3,700 suspected human traffickers and scammers from Myawaddy, with the first deportation of 10 Chinese suspects who were caught in Thailand after fleeing Myanmar. The suspects were wanted in connection with defrauding Chinese actor Wang Xing, according to the head of the Thai police screening team.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Anti-Human Trafficking Center and the Cybercrime Center, chaired a meeting with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to form the Specialized Task Force on Internet Fraud and Human Trafficking.
At the meeting, held at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok on February 14, officials discussed lessons learned from Thailand’s crackdown on call center scammers and human trafficking networks. Measures taken included cutting off electricity, suspending telephone and internet services and restricting fuel supplies in border areas.
These strategies were initially enforced along the border with Myanmar and will be extended to other countries as part of a seven-point action plan to combat these crimes.
The seven measures:
- Pre-entry screening: Strengthen cooperation in screening foreign nationals before they enter Thailand.
- Stricter border controls: Tighten inspections at airports and immigration checkpoints, with a focus on high-risk individuals.
- Checkpoints along major travel routes: Establishment of checkpoints to track suspicious movements.
- Accommodation inspections: Monitoring accommodation to identify potential fraud activity.
- Proactive surveillance: Investigation of transportation routes and temporary hiding places.
- Enhanced border security: conducting extensive patrols at natural crossings, border checkpoints and provinces along Thailand’s borders.
- Coordinated investigations: Expand investigations to identify masterminds and facilitators, including corrupt officials.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai explained that the authorities are using the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and information sharing between the Royal Thai Police database and foreign embassies to distinguish victims from criminals among those handed over from Myanmar. China has now officially identified 3,700 people suspected of being involved in human trafficking and call center fraud in Myawaddy.
He emphasized that almost 100% of the people who came to Mae Sot entered Myanmar voluntarily and only two or three cases reported that they were cheated. “This confirms that the people entering Thailand are not cheated by Thailand itself. However, since these people are taking advantage of Thai resources, we need to focus on burning the criminals’ bridges by eliminating the masterminds,” he said.
When asked about the recent transfer of police officers in Tak province, which may be linked to human trafficking networks and the Myawaddy complex, Police General Thatchai explained that the matter is still under investigation for the sake of transparency. He clarified that while there may have been no prior misconduct, the authorities must respond quickly to unusual circumstances and take the necessary action when irregularities are found.
Later that same evening, Pol. Gen. Thatchai assigned the Immigration Bureau to deport 10 Chinese scammer suspects from Myawaddy, Myanmar, who were involved in the fraud case of Chinese actor Wang Xing, to be handed over to Chinese authorities for legal prosecution.
The owner of this scammer network is named Fei Ge, who has already been arrested in China. Additionally, measures will be increased to pressure and investigate assets of call center gang owners in close cooperation with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).
The 10 Chinese suspects fled from Myawaddy into Thailand and were arrested at Bang Kaew Police Station in Samut Prakan, Bang Rachan Police Station in Singburi, and Khiri Mat Police Station in Sukhothai respectively. Thai police have completed prosecuting all ten individuals for illegally entering the kingdom without permission, and are now proceeding with deportation and transfer to Chinese authorities for further legal action.
________
