Thousands of people freed from notorious scam compounds along the Thai-Myanmar border are now stranded in makeshift camps due to slow processing by authorities.
Freed workers, including Ethiopian Mike and Bangladeshi Ariyan, described brutal treatment and harsh conditions, with limited access to basic necessities like food, water, and sanitation. Conditions in the camps have been deemed unsanitary, with some freed workers testing positive for tuberculosis after being screened.
Thai officials claim they are working quickly to process the former scam workers and resettle them in Thailand. However, the process has stalled due to lack of coordination between ministries and agencies, as well as concerns about screening the thousands of people from diverse countries.
Around 7,000 individuals remain trapped in Myanmar, with many fearing they will be handed back to the scam bosses if they do not receive permission to cross into Thailand soon. A group of 94 Indonesians is expected to be resettled, but the fate of the remaining individuals remains uncertain.
The Thai government has assured that it will continue working on resolving the issue, while NGOs and aid organizations warn of a growing humanitarian crisis among the freed workers.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yr7j18edjo