Authorities across Southeast Asia are intensifying efforts to crack down on cyber scam centers operating along the Thai-Myanmar border, resulting in the repatriation of thousands of foreign nationals. These centers, often run by criminal syndicates, have become hubs for telecom fraud, drawing workers from various countries under false pretenses and coercing them into participating in online scams.
On February 27, 2025, Myanmar transferred 84 Indonesians to Thailand, where they were handed over to Indonesian embassy officials before being transported to Bangkok for repatriation. Thai officials stated that the workers had been released from illegal scam centers, which have proliferated in Myawaddy and the surrounding areas recently. Their release follows the deportation of 600 Chinese nationals under similar circumstances the previous week, facilitated through Thailand, as reported by AFP.
Over 620 Chinese nationals were also repatriated from Myawaddy by the first week of March, according to China’s Ministry of Public Security. This move followed a ministerial meeting in Bangkok involving China, Thailand, and Myanmar, during which officials agreed to enhance cross-border law enforcement cooperation to combat online fraud. The Global Times cited a Public Security Ministry statement describing the meeting as a milestone in regional efforts to curb telecom fraud.
The BBC reported on February 13 that scam centers in Karen State released 260 foreign workers from 20 nationalities and transported them to Thailand. Among them were individuals from Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan, China, Indonesia, Taiwan, Nepal, Uganda, Laos, Burundi, Brazil, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, India, Ghana, and Cambodia. According to the BBC reports, one was a Sri Lankan national, while the majority were Ethiopian. Thai authorities are assessing whether these workers were victims of human trafficking.
Authorities in Thailand and China have ramped up efforts to dismantle these cybercrime operations, which often target victims through “pig butchering” scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and money laundering. False job offers promising lucrative salaries lured many recruits into illegal activities. They held some against their will, conditioning their release on ransom payments from their families. Escaped workers have reported torture and abuse.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, pledging to shut down scam centers along the border. Since then, the Thai government has restricted power, fuel, and internet access to affected areas and introduced stricter banking and visa regulations to disrupt scam operations.
In late February, The Times of India reported that the rescue of 526 Indians, including 28 women, from Myawaddy is imminent. Thailand is facilitating the repatriation of 7,141 foreign workers, according to the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This population includes 4,860 Chinese nationals, 572 Vietnamese, 430 Ethiopians, 283 Indonesians, 70 Malaysians, and 68 Pakistanis. Scam compounds like KK Park, a major hub for cyberscams, have trafficked many of these individuals.
Security forces have linked these operations to the Border Guard Force (BGF), which supports the Myanmar military in Karen State. The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) has reportedly expelled scam businesses and facilitated the handover of detained workers in Karen State, where it controls territory. Separately, Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has requested arrest warrants for three commanders of another armed group, the Karen National Army, accused of facilitating scam activities.
While some armed factions claim to be shutting down scam operations, reports from local sources suggest that illegal cyber scams continue to function under different guises. Investigations and diplomatic efforts remain ongoing as affected nations work to rescue and repatriate their citizens.
