International embassies in Bangkok are being invited to a meeting at the Royal Thai Police (RTP) to discuss how it is identifying victims of human trafficking among a group of at least 260 foreigners rescued recently from Thailand's neighbouring countries.
The embassies will also be asked to supply information to the RTP regarding their nationals who have been rescued from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos and who are now in the custody of Thai police, said Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, director of the RTP's Anti-Human Trafficking Center and Police Cyber Taskforce.
Their input, together with more information from the RTP's criminal database and ongoing investigations, will be crucial in separating the real victims from any traffickers who are pretending to be victims, he said.
The Philippines, has already supplied the RTP with some information, he added.
Hundreds of people have been rescued, which indicates how the suppression of transnational scam gangs in these countries has paid off, Pol Gen Thatchai said.
"I believe Thailand has an effective system of separating real human trafficking victims from the perpetrators. It's totally unfair to allow these traffickers who are now pretending to be victims to get away with their lies," he said.
As efforts to suppress the call centre scam gangs in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos continue, more people will arrive in Thailand but not all will be classified as human trafficking victims, he added.
In one recent crackdown, four Japanese nationals were detained while attempting to cross into a neighbouring country outside the usual border checkpoint.
They were later confirmed to be a part of a human-trafficking gang.