THE Philippine Embassy in Bangkok and Thai officials have strengthened cooperation in fighting human traffickers victimizing Filipinos wanting to work in Thailand, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Millicent Cruz Paredes on September 6 paid a courtesy call on Tak Governor Somchai Kijcharoenrungroj “to raise the urgent needs of Filipinos” who fell victims to human trafficking in Southeast Asia.
She sought to strengthen the embassy’s coordination with the governor’s office in improving assistance to Filipinos “in distress,” the Foreign Affairs department said.
“These include Filipinos who were lured into and promised well-paying jobs, which turned out to be work associated with illegal casinos and scamming operations,” the DFA said in a statement on Monday.
Somchai, the DFA said, thanked Paredes for personally bringing the plight of Filipinos to his attention and assured her of the Tak government’s assistance to Filipinos in the province “in their time of need.”
On September 7, Paredes met with the Royal Thai Police (RTP) and Tak Immigration officials at their provincial headquarters in Mae Sot to discuss enhanced collaboration between the embassy and Tak province.
PMGen. Khemmarin Hassiri, RTP’s Foreign Affairs Division head, briefed Paredes on the actions taken by the Thai government to resolve the human trafficking problem.
PCol. Bornwonnphop Soontornlekha, Immigration Superintendent of Tak Province, outlined the procedure of the Thai government for foreigners with immigration problems, the DFA said.
He also assured Paredes that Tak immigration will “process any Filipino as quickly as possible, in line with Thai law and regulations, so that they can be repatriated home to the Philippines at the earliest opportunity,” the DFA said.
Paredes, the DFA said, valued her discussion with Khemmarin and Borwonnphop, and “positively responded to their request for the embassy’s help in further raising the awareness of Filipinos on the trafficking in persons crisis.”
Paredes also thanked Somchai for the “warm hospitality” extended to the Filipino community by the Thai people.
There are about 60 Filipinos working as teachers, volunteers, and garment factory employees in Tak.
Somchai recognized the Filipino community’s contribution to the “education and upskilling of the Thai people, including Filipino teachers who have taught generations of Thai children the English language,” the DFA said.
