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Ambrose Li

Denise Tsang

Hongkongers should avoid making non-essential trips to southeastern areas of Myanmar, the Security Bureau has said in issuing a red travel alert, while a top official has met the country’s consul general in the city to follow up on a resurgence of job scams.
The bureau said on Friday travellers needed to adjust plans and avoid non-essential visits to the districts of Myawaddy, Hpapun, Hpa-An and Kawkareik. Those who were already there should monitor the situation, exercise caution and look after their personal safety.
For the rest of the country, the alert remains at the amber level, which indicates Hongkongers should monitor the situation and exercise caution upon travel.
The city’s outbound travel warnings follow a three-tier system. The most severe warning is black, which means avoid all travel, followed by red and amber.
The bureau also reminded Hongkongers to beware of job scams when travelling to Cambodia.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said he met with Han Win Naing, Myanmar’s consul general in Hong Kong, on Friday to share information and discuss future follow-up work.
The bureau said Tang received positive feedback in the meeting and both parties expressed hope over rescuing more Hongkongers as soon as possible. Bureau representatives also met Thailand’s consul general in the city on Thursday.
Hong Kong authorities said earlier this week that they were trying to rescue 12 residents who had been lured by scammers to Myanmar and Cambodia for illegal work.
One of the victims was freed and returned to Hong Kong on Thursday.

Former district councillor Andy Yu Tak-po, who helped in the case, revealed the victim’s family had secured his release by paying a ransom, which police said amounted to US$30,000.
Yu said there were negotiations about how much the ransom would be and that the scammers communicated with the family directly through video calls that showed the victim.
“The amount involved to have the victim released was much lower than what we previously mentioned, which is perhaps what contributed to the family’s change of mind [to pay the ransom],” Yu said.
“Previously, paying up was one of our last resorts because of the large sum [they asked for],” he said. “Now we see ransoms as one viable option, which has also given confidence to other families [whose loved ones are still captured].”
Yu said the Hongkonger was helped by a fellow released detainee from Taiwan, also from the same scam factory, who provided him with money to get to the airport from the Thai border, as the victim was believed to have only his phone and clothing on him.
The former district councillor also said the scammers made the ransom demand one to two weeks ago, with the family consulting police, Yu himself and other relatives before making the decision.


Yu stressed the family took a risk as there was no guarantee that the victim would be released despite the ransom payment.
He stopped short of divulging how the ransom was paid but added that the victim’s family played the biggest part in the success as they worked tirelessly to liaise with various parties to secure his rescue.
According to Yu, the Hong Kong government helped pay for the victim’s fine for overstaying in Thailand upon his release, with the family to return the money owed afterwards.
The man’s case was one of eight with which Yu is helping. The man had been detained in a camp in Myanmar for less than six months.
The victim was deceived by a social media advertisement seeking agents to bring diamonds from Thailand to Taiwan for HK$120,000 (US$15,400) and departed Hong Kong for Bangkok on October 13.
He attempted to flee at the border of Thailand and Myanmar when he realised he might have been scammed but failed and was immediately taken to a compound on a mountain in Myanmar, according to police.
Yu urged the authorities to expedite their rescue of the victims as the detained in the park worked long hours and were subject to physical abuse if they did not meet their scam targets.


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Hong Kong issues red travel alert for parts of Myanmar amid job scams

A recently freed job scam victim is received by members of the Security Bureau, police and the Immigration Department at Hong Kong’s airport. Photo: Security Bureau

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk leads a six-member task force to meet with representatives of Thailand’s Ministry of Justice on Monday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hongkongers in Southeast Asia now have ‘higher chance’ to be saved: Chris Tang

Secretary for Security Chris Tang. Photo: Dickson Lee

Undersecretary for Security Michael Cheuk led a task force to Thailand earlier this week. Photo: Sam Tsang

Another Hongkonger back home after release from Southeast Asian ‘scam farm’

The victim is received by members of the Security Bureau, police and the Immigration Department at Hong Kong airport. Photo: Security Bureau

Family members of victims gather outside the government headquarters on Thursday. Photo: Nora Tam

Malaysian father freed from Cambodian scam syndicate over lack of computer, English skills

A Malaysian father, lacking computer and English skills, was freed from a Cambodian scam syndicate after being lured by a fake job offer. Photo: Shutterstock

Chinese actor Wang Xing has been found and returned from Myanmar to Thailand, after the actor was reported missing in the Thai-Myanmar border district. Photo: Facebook/ ຂ່າວວັນໃໝ່

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Security chief Chris Tang meets Myanmar’s consul general in city to follow up on job scams


Security chief Chris Tang meets Myanmar’s consul general in city to follow up on job scams.
