Regional news from Southeast Asia in English — ASEAN politics, economy and diplomacy, covered by Thai PBS World.
Under pressure from Thailand and China, Karen warlord Col Saw Chit Tu, of the Border Guard Force (BGF), has agreed to fully cooperate with the Thai government in its crackdown on scam gangs, operating in its territory in Myawaddy township, and to send many more trafficked foreigners to Thailand, starting this Saturday.
Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs Phumtham Wechayachai has agreed to consider the proposal, from Sa Kaeo’s provincial governor, for a budget of 385 million baht to build a 55km-long fence along the most porous section of the Thai-Cambodian border.
A group of 53 call centre workers from eight countries are to be passed from Burmese to Thai authorities this afternoon at the border.
The Special Investigation Department is in consultation with the Office of Attorney-General about the issuance of arrest warrants for three leaders of the ethnic Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) on human trafficking charges, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong said today.
An international coordination centre is to be set up in Thailand to help find and secure the release of people, of any nationality, who have been trafficked into Myanmar to work in scam call centres, according to Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the Thai police inspector-general.
The ASEAN human rights group will focus on the rights of victims and survivors in conflict situations, as well as peace-building initiatives, according to Edmund Bon Tai Woon, chair of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).
Casinos and online gambling have continued as usual in Myanmar’s Payathonzu township, opposite the Three Pagodas Pass in Kanchanaburi province, since Thailand suspended the supply of electricity, petrol and internet to five locations in Tachileik and Payathonzu townships in Myawaddy on February 5.
Burmese residents of the Myawaddy border township held a protest march today against Thailand’s utility supply cuts, which they claim are causing hardships, especially to hospital patients.
Petrol rationing is been enforced in Myawaddy border township, as many motorists and motorcyclists have been queueing up in front of petrol stations since Thailand suspended fuel supplies to five locations in Myanmar on Wednesday, in the latest bid to disrupt the operations of Chinese-run scam call centres.
Myanmar suspended services at the Tachileik border checkpoint, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district today, due to a lack of electricity, following Thailand’s cut in supplies on Wednesday to disrupt scam operations across the border.
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said today that he will hold informal discussions with ASEAN leaders to try to resolve the conflicts in Myanmar, after he had a fruitful conversation with Anwar Ibrahim, the Malaysian prime minister and current ASEAN chair.
Thailand has decided to cut electricity, oil supplies and internet services to five locations in three Myanmar border townships at 9am on Wednesday.
