The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has vowed to make every effort to bring back 12 Hong Kong residents held captive in Myanmar and Cambodia before the Lunar New Year.

Under Secretary for Security Michael Cheuk Hau-yip made the pledge on his return to the SAR on Tuesday evening after wrapping up a two-day mission to Thailand at the head of a dedicated task force to discuss the situation with Thai government officials.

He said 11 of the 12 residents are still trapped in Myanmar and the other near the Cambodian border. They’re believed to have fallen victim to illegal employment scams in Southeast Asia.

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According to Cheuk, the Thai authorities are greatly concerned about the matter and will take prompt action.

The Thai government will reveal a series of measures this week to ensure the safety of travelers to the country, he said, adding that Hong Kong residents should avoid making non-essential travel to the border regions of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

Cheuk said it’s hard to give a precise timeline for the rescue operation, and he could not disclose further details. However, he emphasized that the authorities have diligently carried out related tasks, and hoped that all detained residents could reunite with their families in Hong Kong before the Year of the Snake, which falls on Jan 29.

He pointed out that all the victims still in captivity had been misled on promises of bogus job offers, and were taken away by criminal groups on their arrival in Bangkok.

But, no Hong Kong resident is reported to have been abducted while visiting Thailand.

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While in Bangkok, Cheuk met with Thailand’s Senior Inspector-General of Police Thatchai Pitaneelaboot to exchange intelligence regarding the request-for-assistance cases, and received a positive response. Thailand will introduce enhanced measures to safeguard the safety of travelers, such as a 24-hour telephone hotline and mobile applications.

Cheuk noted that Thailand and neighboring regions have many official and unofficial communication channels concerning historical and cultural aspects, and the positive response from the Thai authorities in the past two days reflects such international cooperation.

The task force, established in August 2022, went to Thailand amid a surge in cases of Hong Kong residents being held against their will in Southeast Asian countries. Since the second quarter of 2024, the SAR government has received 28 reports of cases asking for help. Among them, 16 victims have safely returned to Hong Kong.

Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com