Kenya’s ambassador to Thailand Lindsay Kiptiness has outlined how Kenyans are being trafficked to Myanmar and forced to commit crimes in scamming compounds.
Speaking on Thursday, March 6, the Ambassador, said that Kenyan job seekers, aged between 19-35 years majority of whom are University Graduates, arrive in Myanmar through Thailand.
Upon arrival in Myanmar, the individuals are escorted by armed men to a scam compound, where they undergo 10 days of intensive scamming training. After completing the training, the Kenyans are forcibly assigned to carry out online scams, primarily targeting Western citizens, especially those in the US.
"Majority of those who are trafficked are young Kenyans aged between 13-35, and most of them are job seekers in Kenya, and by the way, they are qualified people. We have heard cases of University graduates being trafficked to Myanmar scamming compounds," he said.
"Once they arrive in the compounds, they are received by armed men at the gate and then they are ushered into the compounds then given five mobile phones and one laptop. They are taken through scamming training for ten days and once that training is done, they are told to do the work of scamming and other online crimes such as cryptocurrency scamming," he added.
According to the ambassador, Kenyans from the North Rift, Western Kenya, Nyanza province, Nakuru, Nyandarua, Murang'a, Mombasa, and Nairobi, are the most trafficked to Myanmar.
Kiptiness has noted that the country has managed to rescue over 150 Kenyans in the past three years, and is trying to rescue more Kenyans who have sent distress signals to either the State Department of Foreign Affairs and the Kenyan Embassy in Thailand.
"Since 2022, we have rescued over 150 Kenyans, currently we are trying to rescue 45 Kenyans who have sent an SOS to the Embassy and the State Department for Diaspora affairs, and we have engaged different partners, the NGO and the governments of Thailand and Myanmar and other institutions to help us get the Kenyans out," he said.
The ambassador emphasized the need for job seekers in Kenya to be vigilant while applying for jobs in Thailand. Kipness advised that one should get in touch with the Kenyan Embassy to confirm the validity of an online job advert.
In a statement on Monday, March 3, the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs confirmed that 64 Kenyans are currently waiting at the Thai-Myanmar border, ready to cross into Thailand after being rescued from a scam compound.
According to the ministry, the Kenyans are among over 7,000 foreigners rescued by two armed groups, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Border Guard Force (BGF).
Additionally, the ministry stated that the Kenyan government is in talks with Thai authorities to reopen the border and facilitate the safe return of the stranded citizens.
