KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — The process of repatriating 31 Malaysians stranded at the Myanmar-Thailand border after falling victim to job scams is expected to take at least two weeks.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said this is due to the detention process, court proceedings, fines and temporary holding measures imposed on them for entering Thailand illegally, according to a Berita Harian report today.

He said the update was conveyed by Malaysia’s Ambassador to Thailand, Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah, after embassy officers received information from Tak Provincial Immigration officers and the Royal Thai Police.

At present, the Malaysians are still under the custody of the Royal Thai Army at the second Friendship Bridge in Mae Sot.

“The documentation and screening process has yet to be completed even though embassy officers have been on site since early morning.

“At the same time, the Mae Sot court can only handle 80 case mentions per day and there are 274 individuals from China currently awaiting mention.

“Given the lengthy process and the fines that need to be paid — 4,000 baht (RM517) per person — efforts are being made to shorten their processing and detention period,” he said.

On Monday, Mohamad said that 32 Malaysian victims of human trafficking stranded at the Myanmar-Thailand border were safely brought into Thailand by the country’s military.

All 32 — comprising 31 men and one woman — were assisted after the Malaysian Embassy in Thailand sought humanitarian support from the authorities.

Mohamad said embassy officers have met all the victims and supplied enough food for the next several days.

One of them had been detained earlier and is currently held at the Suan Phlu immigration detention centre awaiting deportation.

Meanwhile, he said the evacuation of another 21 Malaysians who were victims of employment scams and detained by the Myanmar government is progressing smoothly.

“Twenty victims are currently travelling by bus to Danok, accompanied by embassy officers, and are expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon, while one more must remain in detention longer due to investigation and documentation,” he said.