Border Guard Force repatriates 200 Chinese nationals

Karen state’s Border Guard Force (BGF) has started the repatriation of foreigners identified during the crackdown on call centre gangs and illegal businesses in Myanmar.

The repatriation mission involves 200 Chinese nationals being flown from Mae Sot Airport in Tak province to Nanjing Lukou International Airport in China, an official of the Ratchamanu Taskforce, which supervises the Tak border, said.

At around 9am of Thursday, the first batch of 50 Chinese nationals were escorted by Thai officials from Myanmar border to Tak via the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot district, the official said.

A Mae Sot Airport official said that four China Southern Airlines flights are scheduled on Thursday, with departures at 11.40am, 12.40am, 1.40pm and 5.40pm. Each flight will carry 50 passengers.

He added that the Thai Immigration Bureau has issued the TM 35 immigration document for each of the 200 foreigners, which allows them to leave the country, but blacklists them from re-entering Thailand.

All Chinese nationals will undergo immigration screening and x-ray procedures before boarding the plane, he said.

Upon reaching China, they will be investigated by local authorities to determine if they were gang members or victims of human trafficking, the official said.