The bus, believed to carry Chinese citizens who worked at a fraud centre in eastern Myanmar, has reopened the second Taimiamaa Friendship Bridge in Maysot, Tak Province, Thailand, before returning to China on February 20, 2025. I’ll cross. AP Hidden Caption
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sarot meksophawannakul/ap
BANGKOK – Air transport carrying more than 1,000 Chinese citizens who worked at an online fraud centre in eastern Myanmar began on Thursday.
Thailand, China and Myanmar have coordinated efforts over the past month to shut down fraud centres that have removed billions of dollars of casualties through fake romantic tricks, fake investment pitches and illegal gambling plans .
Hundreds of thousands of people from Southeast Asia and elsewhere were estimated to have worked at such centres in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, many recruited to pretend to be falsely of other jobs, and virtual slavery. I realized I was trapped in.
Thai officials said that as many as 10,000 people could be deported from Myanmar recently from online fraud centres.
So far, 16 flights, or about four flights a day, are scheduled to be deported to the Chinese citizens with police. Due to many Chinese (predicted so far, 1,041), Thailand has allowed Beijing to handle most of the processing and investigations regarding its return to China.
Thai officials told reporters on Thursday that rescued workers were filmed in 50 batches across the bridge from Myawadi in Myanmar to Maysot, Thailand, where they were processed – including biometric scans – He said he was sent by bus to May Sotto’s airport.
There they boarded a plane for Southern China Airlines, whose destination was indicated by a flight tracking website as Jin Hong in Yunnan Province, southwestern China.
Thai authorities oversee the evacuation and disposal of fraud centre workers from other countries. Last week, around 260 people from 20 countries, including many from Africa, went to Thailand’s custody from Myanmar after reportedly being rescued from fraud centres.
The Thai PBS reported that systematic deportation of freed fraudulent workers from countries other than China would begin on Sunday.
Thai Prime Minister Petongang Sinawatra, a visit to Beijing earlier this month, told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that Thailand would crack down on fraud networks. Just before her visit, Thailand cut off power, internet and gas supply to several Myanmar regions hosting fraud centres along the border, causing national security and Thailand to suffer from operations. I cited damage.
Thailand wants to work with China as reports of fraudulent workers being trafficked through Thailand are widely distributed on Chinese social media. The Thai government and others fear discouraging Chinese tourist markets.
Misawadi border patrol, the Karen militia that controls the region, organized the deportation of foreign workers from Myanmar. However, critics have denounced groups of criminal engagement by providing protection to fraud centers. It denies the accusation.
Previous crackdowns on Myanmar’s fraud centres came in late 2023 after China expressed embarrassment and concern over illegal casinos and fraud operations along the borders of northern Myanmar’s Shan province.
The ethnic guerrilla group, which has close ties to Beijing, has shut down many activities and has repatriated an estimated 45,000 Chinese nationals suspected of being involved.
