The presence and activities of China's Assistant Minister for Public Security Liu Zhongyi are part of a three-country joint operation against Chinese call-scam gangs based in Myanmar, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Monday.
Mr Phumtham was responding to criticism that China was bypassing Thai authorities in rescuing and repatriating Chinese lured into working for the gangsters at centres in Myanmar near the Thai border.
“Thailand, Myanmar and China have been collaborating on this matter for two months,” the deputy prime minister said.
Mr Phumtham said Mr Liu had discussed the joint operation with him and the home affairs minister of Myanmar and he would meet Mr Liu again on Wednesday to follow up progress in the operation.
He said a group of Chinese rescued from call scam centres in Myanmar will be brought to Thailand and then go to China. But first, they will have to complete procedures in Myanmar.
He said gang members will be separated out and arrested during the operation.
“Thai officials crossed the border to help screen these people… After they reach Thai soil, Chinese officials will put them aboard planes in Mae Sot,” Mr Phumtham said.
Chinese suspects arrested at an online gambling centre in Payathonzu, Myanmar, on Sunday. (Photo supplied)
The anti-scam operation began with power, oil and internet being cut off to force the Myanmar government and ethnic groups to suppress scam gangs on their soil, and the initial measure was effective, he said.
In Kanchanaburi province, sources said that soldiers of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army arrested 86 Chinese people suspected of operating call scams in Payathonzu township, opposite tambon Nong Lu of Sangkhla Buri district, on Sunday.
They were taken into custody at a facility where an online gambling business was operating. The operation was observed by Thai security representatives and was a part of DKBA’s efforts to eliminate scam centres in its area by the end of this month, sources said.
People in tambon Nong Lu said scam centres had switched to using their own generators after Thailand cut off the cross-border power supply early this month. They could hear them.
The generators had fallen silent on Sunday morning, and there were reports of the arrests on Sunday afternoon.
Sources said the DKBA had loaded the arrested Chinese nationals, who included a woman, on trucks and taken them to Myawaddy.
According to sources, Pol Col Ploen Klinpayom, acting immigration police chief in Tak, and Gen Traisak Intararasamee, secretary to the Thai defence minister, on Monday accompanied Mr Liu across the border from Tak to Myawaddy to visit a Border Guard base where about 300 victims rescued from scam centres in Shwe Kokko were being held.
Most were Chinese citizens, but there were also Indians, Kenyans, Malaysians, Pakistanis and Rwandans. They would also be repatriated through Thailand.
Karen Border Guard Force leader Col Saw Chit Thu speaks to reporters in Myawaddy on Monday. (Photo: Assawin Pinitwong)
Col Saw Chit Thu, leader of the Myanmar junta-allied Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), told reporters in Myawaddy later on Monday that his force would continue with the suppression of scam gangs in KK Park, Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko and Myanmar police would handle all suspects and victims in Myawaddy.
So far, officials responsible for the suppression had collected about 2,000 African, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese people from scam centres, he said.
The first group of Chinese people would be transported to Tak province on Thursday for repatriation, Col Saw Chit Thu said.
