Author: HUIZHONG WU Associated Press, JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI Associated Press, MARTHA MENDOZA Associated Press, ABC News
Published on: 09/03/2025 | 11:04:26
AI Summary:
Thousands of sick, exhausted and terrified young men and women squat in rows. They packed shoulder to shoulder, surgical masks covering their mouths and eyes. One young man from India said about 800 people were being held in the same facility as him. Cyber scams run from compounds have flourished during the pandemic. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes estimates that between $18 billion and $37 billion was lost in Asia alone in 2023. Thailand cut electricity, internet and gas supplies to five border towns in Myanmar. The formerly enslaved scammers found themselves caught in indefinite detention. Most are being held either in army camps controlled by the Kayin Border Guard Force or repurposed scam compounds. China sent a chartered flight Thursday to the tiny Mae Sot airport to pick up a group of its citizens. Authorities in Thailand say they cannot allow foreigners to cross the border from Myanmar unless they can be sent home immediately. Dozens of Indonesians were bused out one morning last week, pushing suitcases and carrying plastic bags with their meager possession. Acts of Mercy International is based at the Thai-Myanmar border. Amy Miller says it’s hard for the world to understand why all of the released workers aren’t free. She gestured out a nearby window toward the Friendship Bridge to Myanmar just blocks away. The halt to funding has also impacted a network of civil society groups that worked to stop human trafficking and rescue survivors in Thailand. U.S. Officials acknowledged the high pressure impasse. In 2015, more than 2,000 fishermen were rescued from brutal conditions at sea. Compounds in the DKBA’s control are less well-documented in the public record, but activists say they also control a fair number. In this crackdown, there have been no major prosecutions or compounds shut down. The Associated Press is investigating cyber scams in Myawaddy. Mendoza reported for FRONTLINE (PBS) Karel Janicek in Prague, Czech Republic, Niniek Karmini and Andi Jatmiko in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.
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Summary: 332 words
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