Immigration police have rescued six Burmese from a suspected trafficker, identified only as "Som", 51, a Burmese living in Chon Buri.

He says he purchased the workers from an agent for Bt40,000, and was going to sell them on to fishing trawlers in Rayong for Bt15,000 each. The six refused to work on trawlers, saying an agent had promised them factory work in Samut Sakhon. Som then locked them up and demanded each pay Bt12,000 for freedom. The workers will be repatriated.