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East Asia

Hong Kong sends task force to Thailand amid rise in scam trafficking cases

Since the second quarter of 2024, more Hong Kongers are being trafficked into Southeast Asian countries to work in notorious online scam hubs, the city’s security bureau said.

Hong Kong sends task force to Thailand amid rise in scam trafficking cases

Families of Hong Kong residents detained in Southeast Asia standing outside of the Central Government Complex in Hong Kong. (Photo: Facebook/Andy Yu)

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SINGAPORE: Hong Kong deployed a task force to Thailand on Sunday (Jan 12) to meet with security officials and follow up on cases involving residents being lured to Southeast Asian countries and forced into illegal work, security officials said. 

It comes after the disappearance of Chinese actor Wang Xing near the Thai-Myanmar border on Jan 3, an area infamous for criminal syndicates operating online scam hubs.

Since the second quarter of 2024, more Hong Kongers are suspected of being lured to Southeast Asian countries to work in slave-like conditions in notorious online scam hubs, Hong Kong’s Security Bureau said in a statement released on Sunday. 

Law enforcement agencies said they had received 28 requests for help from residents and their families. Among them, 16 had already returned.

The remaining 12 cases had “restrictions on their movement”, the security bureau said, but were still safe and able to contact their families.

Between 2022 and early 2023, Hong Kong authorities received 46 requests for assistance from citizens trapped in compounds in Myanmar and Cambodia.

Of the 46, 43 made it back to Hong Kong successfully. The remaining three declined further assistance after they were rescued, officials said. 

Members of the latest Hong Kong task force will meet with officials from the Chinese embassy in Thailand as well as the relevant Thai authorities.

They will “exchange intelligence and request the relevant authorities to assist as much as they can in the rescue of those assistance seekers”. 

The latest developments have shone a spotlight on illegal scam hubs that continue to operate in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar.

Victims, many being Chinese nationals, say they are subjected to slave-like working and living conditions.

Wang has since been rescued by Thai authorities and returned to China on Jan 10.

He recounted that he had been lured by the promise of a casting in a major Thai production and ended up being taken across the border into Myanmar. Thai police said he had been a victim of human trafficking. 

His disappearance went viral on Chinese social media and prompted action from Thai and Chinese authorities.

"BETTER LATE THAN NEVER"

Andy Yu, a former Hong Kong district councillor who has been assisting families with their cases, said that while Wang’s rescue inspired hope, the move came “a bit late”. 

“This did not happen yesterday (or) last week. It’s been almost half a year… but better late than never,” Yu said. 

Speaking to the South China Morning Post, another lawmaker said the task force’s visit to Thailand this week would serve as a warning to vulnerable residents. 

“Perhaps after the initial news about such cases died down two years ago, people let their guards down towards such high-paying jobs,” said Gary Chan Hak-kan. 

“The government’s high-profile trip can help with current cases while also taking the chance to remind residents that they should think twice before agreeing to these jobs,” he added.

In this image provided by the Royal Thai Police, Chinese actor Wang Xing (right) talks with Thai police officers in Mae Sot district, in Thai-Myanmar border, Tak province on Jan 7, 2025. (Photo: The Royal Thai Police via AP)

The task force is expected to work closely with officials from Hong Kong’s Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in Bangkok as well as Chinese embassy officials in the Thai capital. 

“The ETO alone may not have enough political power, manpower or security expertise to handle these cases so the task force, which consists of officers from the Immigration Department, policemen and bureau staff, can help in coordination and communication,” Chan said. 

CHINESE TOURISTS SPOOKED 

Wang’s disappearance and his subsequent rescue, spooked Chinese tourists with travel plans to Thailand. 

Thai police have since launched investigations into the disappearances of two more Chinese nationals amid human trafficking concerns. 

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has addressed concerns about reports of safety fears among Chinese tourists, which has affected Thailand’s tourism sector. 

She also attributed fears to online misinformation about Thailand’s reputation, describing such claims as “baseless and damaging”. 

“(We are) now working to ensure the dissemination of accurate information to international audiences and to curb the spread of harmful misinformation,” she told Thai media outlets, adding that her government was working to rebuild trust among Chinese as well as international tourists. 

In a statement posted on their official WeChat account, Chinese embassy officials in Bangkok reminded citizens to be wary of recruitment offers offering high salaries or suspicious perks like “air tickets, food and accommodation”.

Chinese visitors must adhere to visa regulations and not work abroad illegally, officials said. 

Hong Kong singer Eason Chan last Friday cancelled his upcoming concert in Bangkok, slated to take place on Feb 22, with organisers citing safety concerns for Chinese citizens and fans travelling to Thailand.

Source: CNA/Agencies/lk(ht)
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