THAI authorities crossed over to Cambodia’s Kong Kong province to receive 32 Thais who had escaped from scam centres in the neighbouring country and upon crossing back to Thailand one of them warned of terrible conditions including being beaten to death and sale of organs, PPTVHD36 said yesterday (Jan. 31).
Ms. Kalaya Prasitphak, district chief of Khlong Yai in Trat province, along with 182 Marines and immigration officers went across to Ban Cham Yeam border checkpoint at Kong Kong to bring back the 32 Thai scam workers following coordination by the Thai embassy in Phnom Penh to facilitate their repatriation on humanitarian grounds.
Initial screening revealed all were in good health but six of them with outstanding arrest warrants were separated for further legal proceedings.
Mr. Riew, a human trafficking victim from Surat Thani province who managed to escape, said he was tricked into working as an administrator in Sa Kaeo province before being sent to Bavet city in Svay Rieng province but later transferred to Poipet to swindle fellow Thais.
The living conditions within the detention facilities were terrible with victims of many nationalities held there, he said, adding those who failed to meet their scamming quotas were beaten and physically abused.
Medical care was not covered and cost between US$100-300, he added.
Amid commotion during a raid on Jan. 17 he and his friends escaped to a forest and hid there for over two hours before finding their way to Phnom Penh and seeking help from the Thai embassy.
Riew warned Thais considering similar employment to not be deceived by the advertisements, as the reality is like living in hell with unfortunate ones physically abused to death, or forced to have their organs sold to a third country.
CAPTIONS:
Representative images of scammers. Above – GuerrillaBuzz, Front Page – Bermix Studio both from Unsplash
Insert – Thai Ban Hat Lek border crossing facing its Cambodian counterpart Ban Cham Yeam. Photo – PPTVHD36
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