Thailand as a Hub for Transferring Scam Victims: Chinese Boss Embedded in Human Trafficking, Selling Victims to Myanmar Side, Paying Monthly Bribes of 35 Million Baht

Thailand is the central hub for transferring scam victims controlled by a Chinese 'boss' embedded in human trafficking who sell victims to the Myanmar side. A network assisting trafficking victims criticizes the Thai government for only targeting minor mule accounts. Confidential information reveals that 'Mong Chitto' pays monthly bribes of 35 million baht across the Moei River to Thai officials and politicians.

1,598 foreign nationals fled from the scammer area at KK Park in Myawaddy District, Myanmar, crossing the Moei River into Thailand after Myanmar soldiers launched a crackdown starting 19 October and began bombing scammer buildings from 23 October onward.

Foreigners who fled into Thailand face immigration charges. Those who pay a 4,000 baht fine are immediately deported. Those unable to pay serve eight days in detention as a substitute for the fine, then are deported.

Beyond collecting fines or detaining and expelling foreigners, Thai authorities have not obtained any information from these foreigners, who include both human trafficking victims and some actual scammers who mixed in amid the chaos.

SEE TRUE investigative reporters from Thairath TV interviewed 'Jay Kritiya,' a coordinator for a civil society network aiding human trafficking victims. She has experience helping Thai trafficking victims escape from Laukkai in the Kokang Self-Administered Zone, Myanmar, near Shan State, in 2023.

Eventually, Chinese criminals moved in to establish scammer towns along the Moei River on the Myanmar side in Myawaddy District, an area under the influence of Karen military groups BGF and DKBA.

Since then, Jay Kritiya has received help requests from both victims' relatives and victims themselves from these scammer towns. To date, she has helped rescue thousands of victims from scammer areas.

Jay Kritiya said many rescued trafficking victims reported being deceived and sold to scammer sites. Most were tricked into coming to Thailand for work, flew into Bangkok Airport, were picked up there, taken to Mae Sot District in Tak Province, and then smuggled across the Moei River into Myanmar.

They were forced to sign contracts selling themselves to scam gangs and compelled to work in online scams under threat of harm or torture. They know the names and faces of Chinese bosses and managers, most of whom regularly cross back and forth between Thailand and Myanmar.

However, Thai authorities have not interrogated these victims to gather information for investigations into trafficking networks within Thailand or to arrest Chinese owners of scammer companies and managers who move frequently between Thailand and Myanmar.

Jay Kritiya explained the importance of extracting information from trafficking victims instead of rushing deportations: "If we consider scammers a national priority, we should seek information for investigations. The government's sincerity is reflected in whether it wants this information. Clearly, it does not. The policy is rapid deportation. Some Thais may think rapid deportation saves budget, but allowing them to stay temporarily in Thailand to extract information would provide leads to dismantle these networks and their backers — which we have never reached."

Earlier this year, before the Thai government cut electricity, internet signals, and fuel to pressure scammers in Myawaddy, there was a process to screen victims to determine if they were trafficking victims, to refer them to the national referral mechanism (NRM).

However, after the Karen DKBA military sent 260 foreigners across the Moei River to Ban Chong Khaep, Phop Phra District, Tak Province, the government then prohibited further crossings, instructing that victims be kept in Myanmar awaiting repatriation via flights from Thailand. Yet, Thailand did not collect information to investigate and arrest those involved.

Even the current government continues this policy of not allowing victims to cross into Thailand. The recent crossings during Myanmar military crackdowns at KK Park were due to coercive circumstances, with Thai authorities expediting deportations. This creates illegal entry situations without NRM mechanisms.

Jay Kritiya reflected: "Without such processes, does it mean Thailand does not want information? Or does Thailand not want to arrest these scammer networks? These are abnormal situations, but Thai society may not notice because this issue is deep and lacks public attention. We say we want to crack down on scammers but do not seek information. Without information, how can we combat them? The easiest is to get information from victims as a starting point to expand investigations. Not trying to get information is suspicious. Information exists, including who drove victims, hotels where they were taken — data that could prevent recurrence. It's very regrettable."

Jay Kritiya shared examples from victims who sought help, showing photos of Chinese bosses. Thus, if authorities gathered victim information, they could arrest these bosses who frequently move in and out of Thailand. Preliminary screening shows 97% of victims were deceived through Thailand.

This makes it all the more regrettable that thousands of foreign victims have crossed the Moei River into Thailand since early this year, yet the Thai government has not used this information to investigate further, despite criminals using Thailand as a transit route through Mae Sot frequently.

Compared to the US, South Korea, and Singapore, which seriously combat scammers with investigative methods leading to sanctions and asset seizures of major criminals, Thailand only manages to catch minor mule accounts.

An alternative explanation for not wanting information on scammers is fear of uncovering deep insights, since many within Thailand benefit from these scammer towns. A SEE TRUE source embedded in Myanmar's scammer gangs reported that Colonel Mong Chitto, leader of the Karen BGF military overseeing these scammers, pays monthly bribes across the Moei River to Thai officials and politicians amounting to no less than 35 million baht.