Hong Kong sends task force to Thailand over cases of residents trafficked to SE Asia
Hong Kong Free Press
A dedicated Security Bureau (SB) task force has been deployed to Thailand to follow up on the dozen Hongkongers trafficked to Southeast Asian countries and forced into labour.
The 12 cases were among a total of 28 requests for assistance received by the Hong Kong authorities since mid-2024, according to a government statement on Sunday. The “resurgence” of such cases, the bureau said, comes after a similar spate of incidents in 2022.
Of the 28 cases, 16 have returned to Hong Kong, while the remaining 12 “reported restrictions on their movement but were still safe and able to contact their families or the task force.”
“In view of recent developments, SB officials will lead members of the dedicated task force from the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department to Thailand today (January 12) to further follow-up on the request for assistance cases,” the statement read.
Families welcome move
Speaking to the press outside government headquarters on Sunday, a family member of a trafficking victim detained at a Myanmar scam farm – who gave his name as Kelvin – welcomed the decision and thanked the authorities.
Kelvin last week submitted a petition to the Thai consulate in Hong Kong, after mainland Chinese actor Wang Xing was found by Thai and Chinese authorities days after he was reported missing near the border with Myanmar.
To some families, Wang’s case demonstrated that the Chinese authorities could help speed up enforcement action and help victims return home.
“But we do think the move came a bit late, because this did not happen yesterday, not last week — it’s been almost half a year… but better late than never,” said Andy Yu, an ex-district councillor who has been assisting families with their cases.
Yu also urged the government to inform the families how the 16 returnees were able to regain their freedom, be it by paying ransoms or through diplomatic channels.
”We would welcome the government to provide such information to us, because it would… help us to analyse the method of how save them,” said Yu.
Mary, another family member of a trafficking victim, said through tears: “I hope the Thai government, the Hong Kong government, and the central authorities will be able to help us, the humble and the weak.”
Members of the task force will meet with officials from the Chinese embassy in Thailand, representatives from the Ministry of Justice of Thailand sitting on an anti-trafficking committee, and other Thai authorities.
The task force will “reflect the relevant assistance cases, exchange intelligence and request the relevant authorities to assist as much as they can in the rescue of those assistance seekers,” Sunday’s statement read.
Support HKFP | Policies & Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-title {
font-size: 1.2em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .entry-meta {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
align-items: center;
margin-top: 0.5em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .entry-meta {
font-size: 0.8em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles article .avatar {
height: 25px;
width: 25px;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail{
margin: 0;
margin-bottom: 0.25em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail img {
height: auto;
width: 100%;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles .post-thumbnail figcaption {
margin-bottom: 0.5em;
}
.wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles p {
margin: 0.5em 0;
}
HKFP has an impartial stance, transparent funding, and balanced coverage guided by an Ethics Code and Corrections Policy.
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.