Around 260 foreign nationals, who were trafficked and forced to work in online scam centers in Myanmar, are set to be repatriated following a rescue operation, Thailand's army announced Thursday.
The individuals, from 20 different countries, were brought to Thailand’s Tak province from Myanmar’s Myawaddy district on Wednesday. The victims include people from Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and several other nations, AP reports.
According to Thai authorities, these individuals were coerced into working in online scam centers that operated across Southeast Asia. These scams, including fake romantic schemes, fraudulent investment offers, and illegal gambling, have defrauded victims worldwide of billions of dollars. Many workers were lured with false job promises and later held against their will.
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The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, a Myanmar ethnic militia, reportedly facilitated the workers' release and escorted them to the Thai border. Myanmar's military government has limited control over many frontier areas, where ethnic militias often engage in criminal activities like drug trafficking and protecting scam operations.
The rescued individuals will undergo questioning to confirm if they were victims of human trafficking. Verified victims will be placed under protection while awaiting repatriation.
Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, stated that the country would only accept those who can be immediately repatriated by their home countries, emphasizing that Thailand has no plans to establish additional shelters.
The operation follows earlier crackdowns on scam centers in Myanmar, particularly in Shan state, where China exerted pressure to curb these illegal activities. In late 2023, ethnic militias with close ties to Beijing shut down many such operations, resulting in the repatriation of approximately 45,000 Chinese nationals.
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Thailand has intensified efforts to combat these scams in collaboration with China. In February, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged joint action to dismantle scam networks in the region. Additionally, Thai authorities recently cut off utilities, including internet, to certain border areas notorious for scam centers.
The Thai army assured that investigations will continue, using the rescued individuals' accounts to track and prosecute the traffickers behind these operations.