6-11-2023 (BANGKOK) The Myanmar government has assured a senior Thai police officer that it would repatriate 164 Thai nationals who have been detained in a northern town of the country. This comes after Deputy National Police chief Pol General Surachate Hakparn visited Yangon on Monday and met with top Myanmar police officials to discuss the release of the detainees.
According to Surachate, also known as “Big Joke,” the 164 Thais have been arrested and detained in Laukkaing Township in Shan state and were accused of being members of call-centre gangs. However, he explained to the Myanmar authorities that most of them were victims of human trafficking gangs that had lured and forced them to work for these gangs.
The Myanmar authorities reportedly agreed to let Surachate take the detainees back to Thailand. However, due to the ongoing armed conflict in the area, Surachate decided to repatriate them to the northern border to Kunming in China first and then fly them home from China.
Surachate revealed that the Chinese government had approved his request to repatriate the 164 Thais across the Chinese border, but a specific date for their repatriation has yet to be scheduled with both the Myanmar and Chinese governments.
The development comes as a positive step towards resolving the issue of Thai nationals being detained in Myanmar, and it highlights the efforts of the Thai government to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens abroad.
In recent years, there have been several instances of Thai nationals being arrested and detained in Myanmar for various reasons, including involvement in call-centre scams and illegal activities. The Thai government has been working closely with the Myanmar authorities to address these issues and ensure the safe return of its citizens.
The repatriation of the 164 Thais is expected to take place soon, and it will be a welcome relief for the families and loved ones of those who have been detained. The Thai government has assured that it will continue to work with the Myanmar authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of all Thai nationals in Myanmar.
