Thailand to begin extradition process of 10 suspects to M'sia

BANGKOK: The Royal Thai Police and Immigration bureau has been instructed to begin the process of extraditing 10 suspected masterminds of human trafficking syndicates to Malaysia.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan said the country will extradite the suspects to Malaysia if there are no legal obstructions to do so.

"If we are able to extradite, then we will," he said when asked about his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's statement on Thailand's agreement to extradite the 10 suspects.

Prawit, who is also the Defence Minister and minister responsible for security affairs, was met by the media after attending the weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House here today.

Yesterday, Ahmad Zahid had said that Bangkok had agreed to Malaysia's request to extradite 10 people believed to be masterminds in human trafficking cases along the Malaysia-Thailand border.
He told this to the media after meeting Prawit, who was on a one-day visit to Malaysia.

The agreement to extradite the 10 suspected masterminds of human trafficking syndicates to Malaysia said the Thai deputy prime minister, was not related to any prisoners exchange treaty with the country.

According to a statement released by Thailand's Court of Justice on Aug 26, the Rohingya Migrant Trafficking Case involved 103 defendants, consisting of executives and members of local councils, government and police officers, members of the military and a nurse.

The next hearing is scheduled for Sept 6 at the Criminal Court. — Bernama