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2mo ago

Thailand Repatriates Thousands from Myanmar Scam Compounds

Thai authorities, in coordination with Myanmar and China, are facilitating the return of foreign nationals trafficked into online scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Victims of scam centers who were tricked or trafficked into working in Myanmar, stuck in limbo at a compound inside the KK Park, a fraud factory, and a human trafficking hub on the border with Thailand-Myanmar after a multinational crackdown on the compounds run by criminal gangs, operated by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) in Myawaddy, Myanmar, February 26, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
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Many scam centre workers say they were lured or tricked into taking the work and suffered abuse and beatings
Thailand, Myanmar and China have been clearing out illegal cyberscam compounds on the Thai-Myanmar border

Overview

  • Thailand has begun repatriating nearly 1,500 Chinese nationals this week, with 19 flights planned to return rescued workers to China.
  • The scam compounds in Myanmar's Myawaddy region trafficked thousands of foreign nationals, forcing them into online fraud operations targeting global victims.
  • Approximately 7,000 individuals from over two dozen countries have been freed from these illegal operations, with many still awaiting repatriation under challenging conditions.
  • Some workers reported being coerced, subjected to abuse, and held in squalid camps with limited access to food, healthcare, and sanitation during the repatriation process.
  • Thai authorities are collaborating with foreign embassies and governments to coordinate repatriations, including disease screenings and immigration checks, while addressing logistical challenges for nations without local diplomatic missions.