The rescue operation relied on information provided by a Myanmar man who successfully ran away from the suspected traffickers, who were also from Myanmar.

“We have finally discovered a small place where 29 victims were locked inside on the province’s Siray Island,” Anti-Human Trafficking Division’s commander Pol Maj General Kornchai Klayklueng said at a press conference yesterday.

He said in addition to helping these victims out, police also managed to arrest three suspects.

He identified the suspects as Jiw San Nyunt, Sow Mo, and Soe Win Aung Zo.

Police said the victims initially came to Thailand voluntarily as they were promised a paying job. However, after they arrived, they were locked inside such a shelter all the time except when they were ordered to work on a fishing trawler.

“Each ‘work trip’ on the fishing trawlers lasted about seven days. Some of them were also physically attacked while on the boat,” Kornchai said.

He added that the victims lamented that they had not received any wages yet because the three suspects said they had to repay money owed to Soe Win Aung Zo first.

“This suspect said he had paid for their travel expenses since the time they left Myanmar,” Kornchai said.