Thai authorities facilitated growth of unlawful operations, says criticism member
PUBLISHED: 27 Feb 2025 at 15: 20
A leading Thai criticism lawmaker said a current campaign to target scam factories along Thailand’s border with Myanmar has resulted in only a small percentage of workers being fired, calling for more detailed measures to kick out a flourishing illegal industry.
According to the United Nations ( UN), Thailand, which is supported by China, is pushing to end the country’s Myawaddy region, which is a part of a network of highly lucrative and illegal operations throughout Southeast Asia. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked by criminal gangs.
Women’s Party deputy president Rangsiman Rome, Thailand’s leading words in calls for action against borders boiler rooms that have defrauded Thais of hundreds of millions of US money, in an interview told , Reuters that 300, 000 people were operating in Myawaddy fraud materials, less than 10, 000 of which had been rescued.
” It means like the kingdom of the fraud is still there… we’re really shaking them”, said Mr Rangsiman, the head of legislature’s committee on national security and border matters.
Mr Rangsiman, who has travelled through some of the border regions himself, said about 40 fraud substances existed it. He did no identify information.
” If we just quit, they can maintain their company”, he said.
Rangsiman Rome, deputy leader of the opposition Women’s Party, says about 300, 000 people are working in con ingredients in Myawaddy, Myanmar. ( File photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill )
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra stated in legislature on Thursday that the government was addressing the issue of scam centers as an immediate issue. Fraud centers have been operating in Myawaddy and another border towns for years, but they have recently gained new attention as a result of Wang Xing‘s abduction in Thailand last month, which sparked a social media storm in his home country.
Afterwards, Wang Xing was found in the Myawaddy region, found, and returned to China.
Stop the corruption
As part of a coordinated response, Thailand cut off power, internet and fuel supplies to some borders areas, including Myawaddy, where armed groups have also worked to draw people out of fraud centres, including human smuggling victims. More than 7, 000 foreigners are waiting to cross from Myawaddy to Thailand, which is coordinating with several embassies to help them expedite their repatriations. The majority of them are from China.
However, according to Mr. Rangsiman, who represents the opposition People’s Party, Thai authorities are not doing enough to stop these con artists from swindling their profits or Thai officials from being complicit in their expansion. Col Saw Chit Thu, a Myanmar warlord who controls areas close to Myawaddy and is well known for being a part of the rise of scam centers on the Thai frontier, is one of them.
” We know that he has a big connection with the Thai side”, said Mr Rangsiman, pointing to suspected links between Saw Chit Thu, who leads the Karen National Army, and Thai officials.
Saw Chit Thu: Runs scam centre hub.
Chit Thu and his militia could not be reached for comment.
Following the appointment of a fact-finding committee to investigate allegations of human trafficking, Thai police have recently transferred several officials from Tak province, which borders Myawaddy.
Mr. Rangsiman claimed that Thai government and security officials were directly involved in the dramatic growth of the scam compounds.
” It’s time to stop the corruption in Thailand”, he said.
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