Thousands of foreigners freed from online scam-operating centres in Myanmar are stuck in limbo on the border with Thailand after a multinational crackdown on the compounds run by criminal gangs, three sources told Reuters on Monday.
In recent weeks, authorities from China, Thailand and Myanmar have attempted to dismantle scam centres and illegal online operations on the border, part of a network of illegal compounds across Southeast Asia where hundreds of thousands have been trafficked by gangs, according to the United Nations.
Thai and Cambodian police raided a building in a border town and freed 215 foreigners, a senior Thai official said on Sunday.
- Stuck in limbo -
Two Myanmar armed groups - the Karen National Army (KNA) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) - are currently holding around 7,000 former scam centre workers but are unable to send them to Thailand, a Thai security official and two aid workers said.
Another source said the Myanmar junta-allied Karen Border Guard Force were holding 6,500 foreigners after cracking down on scam centres in Shwe Kokko and the Chinese-run "KK Park".
The source said the BGF had earlier deported 621 Chinese nationals, but wanted the Thai government and embassies of all countries to coordinate with the Myanmar government to repatriate the remaining foreigners since their presence was a considerable burden for the BGF.
"Many are stuck in limbo and Thailand's lack of response is causing great harm," said one aid worker, currently on the Thai side of the border. "It is like these victims are being revictimised."
Thailand's foreign ministry said that agencies are currently planning for future handovers of those freed, which would "proceed based on the readiness of the embassies or the countries of origin".
KNA and DKBA officials did not respond to calls from Reuters.
The majority of these workers are Chinese, with about 1,000 from other foreign countries, according to the aid workers.
Many of the former scam centre workers are being held in dire conditions and local authorities are concerned about the lack of sanitation and health facilities, they said.
- No capacity for more -
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said last Thursday that Thailand doesn't have the capacity to accept more people unless foreign embassies repatriate those crossing over.
Thailand this month accepted 260 scam centre workers, more than half of whom were from Ethiopia, which has no embassy in the country.
Thai authorities also allowed China to repatriate 621 of its nationals via a series of flights from a border town last week.
Scam centres have been operating in the region for years, but face renewed scrutiny after the rescue of Chinese actor, Wang Xing, who was lured to Thailand with the promise of a job, and then abducted and taken to one such centre in Myanmar.
Southeast Asian countries have since stepped up efforts to tackle scam centres, including Thailand cutting power, fuel and internet supply to areas linked with scam centres.
Since March 2022, financial losses incurred by victims of telecom scams in Thailand alone stand at 80 billion Thai baht, Thai Police Colonel Kreangkrai Puttaisong told reporters on Monday.
This information was just received from A21 by way of a member of my
Rotary Club based in the United States. I mention this source because it shows not only the global problem of human trafficking but the global solution! Of course, A21 needs funding to support these individuals. Please support them as you can.
This information from an A21 appeal that was sent out on 27 February.
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding at the Thailand-Myanmar border. Traffickers have turned the region into a hub for forced criminality and exploitation—where individuals are held against their will, brutally abused, and coerced into online scamming operations.
This past weekend, nearly 260 trafficking victims were released, and local authorities believe this number will continue to grow into the thousands in the coming weeks. These individuals have been through significant trauma and are in desperate need of urgent care.
Our team traveled to the border this weekend to assist–working alongside authorities and other NGOs to ensure these victims receive immediate care and protection.
We’re on the ground right now, but we cannot do this alone.
We need urgent funding in the next 24 hours to sustain our emergency response.
This is where you come in. Your gift today will provide critical support in the following ways:
Emergency Travel & Logistics → Ensuring our team can reach survivors quickly.
Translation & Crisis Support → Many survivors don’t speak the local language. Translators play a crucial role in helping to identify victims and coordinate with local authorities.
Comprehensive Victim Screenings → Every survivor must be assessed to receive proper care, attention, and support.
Crisis Relief → Emergencies like this come with unpredictable challenges. This ensures no survivor is left behind.
Every moment matters. These brave individuals have been freed from exploitation—but their fight for freedom is not over.
Will you take action right now?
Will you take action right now? GIVE Here!
As this crisis unfolds, we will keep you updated from the frontlines. Thank you for standing with us in the fight for freedom.
With urgency and hope,
Allen Nunnally
A21 Regional Director, Asia-Pacific
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Stop human trafficking now!
Chiang Mai,
Thailand