Thailand said Friday it had agreed with Myanmar and China to repatriate thousands of alleged scam centre workers stranded in camps at the Thai-Myanmar border, part of a crackdown on transnational crime.

Some 5,000 Chinese nationals will be sent home at a rate of 1,000 a week, starting next week, Thai foreign ministry spokesman Nikorndej Balankura told reporters.

The announcement came after a meeting in Bangkok between Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, Chinese Assistant Minister for Public Security Liu Zhongyi and Myanmar’s deputy home affairs minister Aung Kyaw Kyaw.

Cyberscam operations, which have thrived in Myanmar’s lawless border areas for several years, lure foreign workers with promises of high-paying jobs but hold them hostage and force them into committing online fraud.

Under pressure from key ally Beijing, Myanmar has cracked down on some of the compounds, freeing around 7,000 workers from more than two dozen countries.

https://guardian.ng/news/thailand-to-repatriate-thousands-more-myanmar-scam-centre-workers/