Police hunting for evidence to arrest labour traffickers, says chief
National Police chief Pol General Suwat Jangyodsuk said on Wednesday that though police have some idea who might be trafficking migrants across the border, solid evidence is still necessary to make arrests.
Police will first focus on the traffickers instead of the actual illegal Myanmar migrants, because Thailand has to address the problem in a humanitarian manner, he said. As for Myanmar migrant workers, whether legal or illegal, they will need to obey official guidelines, he said.
Meanwhile, in an announcement on Tuesday night, the prime minister said any government official found to be involved in labour trafficking will be punished. However, he said, police need time to find evidence first.
Suwat said this problem has been continuing for a long time. “If we pour our resources in dealing with illegal migrants, the numbers will drop but not disappear. There are many limitations to our work, but this has become a priority. We will first focus on traffickers, especially those who use natural channels,” he said.
