Thai media reported that after the Thai side planned to issue an arrest warrant, the leader of the Myanmar Border Guard Force (BGF) Colonel Suchit convened a meeting with over 20 military officials to plan an operation to crack down on telecom fraud gangs, and urgently sent a letter to the Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Prawit, apparently to express his stance and position.
That day, Prawit, in an interview with the media, revealed that he was aware of the situation and thanked Colonel Suchit for the letter, but the ultimate goal of the Thai side is to completely eliminate telecom fraud gangs in the border areas and to help citizens of any country return to their homeland.
Reporters asked if Colonel Suchit was prepared to cooperate in the crackdown on telecom fraud gangs and sought advice from the Thai side, but was also facing a potential arrest warrant. Prawit declined to comment on this, stating that the process should be followed and that Thailand would not engage in any illegal activities. Regarding the telecom fraud gangs moving their base from Myanmar to Cambodia, Prawit stated that Thailand was fully prepared to respond.
Finally, when asked if the crackdown on telecom fraud gangs would reduce and eliminate them, Prawit stated that the Thai government had clearly announced this, which is consistent with actions taken, and he would continue to visit the sites over the next six months to follow up.
The leader of the Myanmar Border Guard Force in Karen State, Major General Maung Maung Soe, also confirmed recently that Myanmar would fully cooperate with the Thai government in combating cross-border telecom fraud and human trafficking, and strengthen law enforcement cooperation at the border.
Starting from February 15, 2025, both sides will continue the repatriation of victims via the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, ensuring all victims can safely return home. Myanmar has specifically requested more intelligence support and legal assistance from Thailand to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the operations.
The Myanmar Border Guard Force conducted a large-scale inspection in the KK Park in Myawaddy, screening 600 suspected illegal foreign workers in a nine-story building. After careful examination, the illegal workers were identified and will be repatriated to Thailand.
Although the exact number of people repatriated and whether it includes Thai citizens is not yet clear, both sides stated that they would continue to strengthen cooperation, strictly combat illegal labor and cross-border crime, and ensure the security and stability of the border.
This operation not only marks further cooperation between Myanmar and Thailand in combating cross-border crime but also shows the joint determination of both governments in addressing issues such as telecom fraud and human trafficking. With strengthened international cooperation, the security situation in the border areas is expected to improve further, and the effectiveness of crime fighting will become increasingly evident.
