Thirteen potential scam centre victims, mostly hill tribe members, have been rescued by Thai police in Chanthaburi province as they waited to be transported into Cambodia.
The operation took place at a resort on Friday following reports that Thai minors and adults, predominantly from hill tribes, had been deceived into working as website administrators in the neighbouring country, Chanthaburi police said on Saturday.
All 13 victims, aged between 16 and 33, were about to board a Toyota Fortuner and an Isuzu Mu-X with two Thai men waiting to pick them up. The drivers were detained for questioning.
Five of the unwitting recruits were 16 years old, two were 17, one was 18 and another 19. They told investigators they were promised online administrative jobs with a monthly salary of 30,000 baht.
However, police said people who believed the offer were fated to be put to work as call centre scammers, with potential to be exploited for other illegal activities in Cambodia.
The authorities called in the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to screen all of those rescued.
Friday’s operation was the second of its kind this week. On Monday, Thai soldiers intervened to prevent 11 Thais from being taken across the border from Sa Kaeo province.