Testimonies begin in human trafficking case
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The Nathawee Provincial Court in Songkhla province yesterday commenced an advanced session for witness testimonies in a human trafficking case in which Rohingya and other migrants were allegedly victimised.
Four witnesses gave testimonies yesterday.
The advanced session – which yesterday saw the 56 suspects brought to hear the testimonies along with their lawyers – is required because there are over 200 witnesses in the case, an informed source said.
The court has provided a place to support the suspects’ relatives who register to visit them.
The court will set advanced sessions on weekend about once or twice a month to speed up the process.
As this case involves suspects and evidence in various provinces – Songkhla, Satun, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Ranong – the court has been asked to continuously get testimonies from witness to facilitate a faster ruling.
Meanwhile the Office of the State Attorney Region 9 has set up a working team to specifically handle human trafficking cases.
In related news, officials from Ranong’s Lam Nam Kraburi National Park yesterday arrested seven Rohingya thought to have entered Thailand illegally.
Patrol officials on Friday night ran into the group of suspected migrants in Tambon Sai Daeng in Muang district but they fled so the officials searched the area for them.
The first three Rohingya, including one woman, were arrested in the Laem Set Kuad area nearby Tambon Pak Nam at around 6.30am while four more men were arrested in the Ban Hin Chang area.
