SONGKHLA, July 2 (TNA) – United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) officials and Thai police visit southern province of
Songkhla to observe a human trafficking situation after many groups of illegal
migrants from Myanmar have landed in southern Thailand on their way to
Malaysia.
Local security forces on Monday briefed the UNHCR
representatives of the anti-human trafficking measures at the border and
humanitarian assistance for the victims.
As a Muslim-majority country, Malaysia has been the prime
destination for Rohingya people from the state of Rakhine. Many of them have sought labor agents and
traffickers to take them to Malaysia via Thailand.
The UNHCR officials also visited an old warehouse in Sadao
district, which was used as temporary shelter for 20 Myanmar migrants who were
rescued on June 20.
Pol Gen Suchart Thirasawat, head of the anti-human
trafficking center of the Royal Thai Police, said Thailand had rescued about
1,500 victims of human traffickers and arrested 151 illegal labor agents and
traffickers.
Thailand had continued its measures against human
trafficking along the border with Myanmar, he said.
Human trafficking victims had been provided helps under a
program by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, said Pol Gen
Suchart.
According to the UNHCR, as of April, 24,720 refugees have
been given shelter in Malaysia.
Thai officials have said the refugees currently in Malaysia
contact trafficking rings in Myanmar to bring their relatives. The traffickers then hire Thais to transport
the Rohingya people through to their destination.(TNA)
