Human Smugglers Work with Corrupt Thai Officials: UN Report
As much as 80 percent of irregular migrant workers were ferried into Thailand by smuggling services, sometimes with the help of corrupt Thai officials, a recent report by the United Nations said.
In a report released at a news conference last week, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime said corruption and bribery are prevalent throughout the process of smuggling migrants into Thailand from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
“Some groups are reported to operate under the watch or control of corrupt officials who enable them to smuggle migrants into Thailand without interference,” part of the report said.
However, the same report noted that from 2012 to 2017, between 63,000 and 132,000 irregular migrants from Myanmar were apprehended each year while attempting to enter the Kingdom.
Pravit Rojanaphruk
