According to Thai media, General Songwit, the Commander-in-Chief of the Thai Armed Forces and Director of the Center for the Prevention and Resolution of Security Risks in Border Areas, revealed after a meeting that regarding the repatriation of multinational cyber fraud personnel from neighboring Myanmar’s water ditch valley and KK Park, 3,000 people have been repatriated so far.
Among these individuals, 2,600 were repatriated through the denial of entry process, and 400 through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) process. He stated that currently, a maximum of only 500 people can be arranged, and there are still about 4,000 people under the supervision of the Myanmar Border Guard Force (BGF), not including others who continue to gather. The meeting also discussed measures to address the issue of cyber fraud personnel fleeing, with stricter screening controls required on the Thai side.
General Songwit further stated that there are suggestions from the Immigration Bureau and the province to designate five counties in Laixing Prefecture as special areas for such situations, aimed at controlling the entry of unauthorized individuals, including those without travel plans, those with forged or incorrect documents, and those carrying unusually small amounts of money, all of whom must be repatriated. The control duration is initially set for three months, and will use the special area setup during the COVID period as a reference.
The above proposals will be submitted to the Thai National Security Council for consideration and review, and if approved, the timing and specific scope will be further determined. Additionally, the committee is advised to consider products involved in telecom fraud gangs, such as electronic devices and satellite antennas, and preliminary discussions with the customs department have been held to ban the import of such goods to the aforementioned areas.
As for the "three cuts" measures (cutting off electricity, internet, and fuel) implemented for over a month, they have been effective, and 59 non-permanent transit points/ports are also being closely monitored. Additionally, coordination has been made with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to arrange personnel to go to Meisuo County in Laixing Prefecture to coordinate on the above matters, with all situations to be reported to Thai Prime Minister Pei Tongtan on March 21.
