Embassy calls for release of 85 ‘traffickers’ from Thai jail

THE Royal Embassy of Cambodia in Bangkok sent a letter to the Thai authorities on Monday requesting the release of 85 Cambodian workers imprisoned near the border in Sa Kaeo province over their alleged involvement in human trafficking.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and

International Cooperation spokesperson Ket Sophann told The Post that the Thai prison authorities have promised to address the issue.

The request ca me a f ter t he pr isoners’ fa milies urged t he releva nt aut horit ies to inter vene a nd ask t he Thai aut horit ies to f ree t he 85 Cambodia n nat iona ls.

A fa mily member sa id t hat t heir relat ives had been held in pr ison for more t han t hree months.

Sophann sa id t he Cambodian embassy in Thaila nd submitted a for mal letter on Monday requesti ng t he Thai aut horit ies to f ree a l l t he pr isoners.

“The Cambodian embassy submitted a let ter ask i ng for t he immediate release of t he pr isoners, or as soon as possible, a nd t he Thai pr ison aut horit ies have promised to address t he issue quick ly,” Sophann sa id.

He sa id a f ter Cambodian embassy of ficia ls beca me aware of t he a rrests, t hey immediately contacted t he commander of Sa Kaeo Prov incia l Pr ison to find out t he deta i ls of t he pr isoners’ detent ion.

Sophann sa id t hat t he pr ison

commander had told the embassy that the Cambodian workers had been detained for their involvement in human trafficking and allowed embassy officials to provide them consultation.

“Given that they had been detained for more than 85 days, on July 30, the Cambodian embassy again met with the head of the prison. The prison commander said he had been following the case very closely and he had reported it to his superiors.

“He said that following the latest meeting, he would immediately submit a report to the top officials to inform them of the Cambodian embassy’s concerns and that would revert to the embassy,” Sophann said.

Sam Chankea, the Banteay Meanchey provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, told The Post that many people migrate illegally into Thailand despite being aware that they face shootings, torture or imprisonment by the Thai authorities.

“It’s nothing new. It’s happening again to Cambodians.

It’s happening again to Cambodians. We don’t have a clear mechanism to help workers escape persecution from Thai authorities

We don’t have a clear mechanism to help workers escape persecution from Thai authorities,” he said.

Chankea said Cambodian authorities needed to have clear mechanisms to create more jobs in the country to thwart migration and that the authorities must also look for the brokers who help the illegal migrant workers to enter Thailand.