Social Development Ministry provides help to females tricked to working illegal in Malaysia

BANGKOK, Jan 19 (TNA) -- Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is set to provide assistance to 12 Thai females, all of whom had been sent back from Malaysia earlier today, after they were duped into working illegally in the neighbouring state. The Ministry Permanent Secretary Maitri Inthusut said that 12 Thai-Muslim females from the total of 21 had been deported back to Thailand at noon today, after Malaysian authorities arrested them for illegal entry and lack of work permit, during which they were also held as witnesses since authorities believe they are victims of human trafficking. Mr Maitri said his ministry had coordinated with the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC), the Royal Thai Police, and the Immigration Bureau to pick up the Thai-Muslim victims at the Sadao border checkpoint, located in Sadao district of Songkhla province. The minsitry had also prepared a multidisciplinary team who can communicate in Malay language to categorise the victims in accordance to human trafficking laws to find out how they had been tricked and how they were treated, so as to connect the dots to the culprit behind the horrible crime. After that, the victims would receive protection and compensation from the Human Trafficking fund, which include a stipend of 3,000 baht 3 times per year, expense for medical treatments, as well as pain and suffering compensation of 300 baht each per day. After the sorting process is completed, the SBPAC would then deliver the victims back to their families, in which the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security's local offices would continue to monitor their condition afterwards. The nine remaining victims are still in the Malaysian government's custody, as they are still being interrogated as witness, said Mr Maitri, noting that the Ministry is joining forces with concerned agencies, and SBPAC in coordinating with the Royal Thai Embassy in Malaysia to help bring them home. The 21 Thai females were reported to be senior citizens duped into working as a rice crisp sellers on streets in Malaysia. (TNA)