Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has expressed concern about a possible flood of foreigners released from shuttered scam centres in Myawaddy.
He said on Tuesday the government would try to block their entry until their home countries agreed to repatriate them. Illegal entry through natural border crossings was of particular concern.
“The number of people is building up in Myawaddy. We are considering this because we are concerned about overcrowding [of facilities]. If those in charge cannot handle this, and abandon them, it will become our problem because there are many natural border crossings,” Mr Phumtham said.
He was responding to reports of thousands of people being taken from closed scam centres in Myanmar and held for screening in Myawaddy, which is opposite Mae Sot border district in Thailand’s Tak province.
Mr Phumtham said the government was trying to arrange the quick repatriation of these foreigners with officials from their countries. Thailand did not want to receive them unless their home countries arranged for their immediate repatriation.
The Chinese government was among those cooperating, he said. However, coordinating with African nations with no embassies in Thailand was difficult.
Mr Phumtham, also defence minister, said there were similar concerns over the suppression of scam centres based in Cambodia. There were many natural crossings between Cambodia and Thailand.
“I maintain that they will not be allowed to enter Thailand unless the relevant parties are prepared to pick them up,” the deputy prime minister said.
He confirmed that the government would continue to withhold cross-border power, oil and internet supply to Myanmar towns bordering Thailand while pressing for the effective suppression of call scam centres operating from there.
- Long queues for fuel -
Myanmar motorists formed kilometres-long queues in Myawaddy on Tuesday, waiting to cross the border to Mae Sot to buy fuel.
The queues built up at the first Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge.
Small petrol stations in Myawaddy have closed and big ones are opening for only one hour a day since fuel supplies were suspended early this month.
Petrol and diesel were reportedly retailing in Myawaddy for 70-71 baht per litre.
