Two armed groups in Myanmar are reportedly detaining approximately 7,000 individuals under unsanitary conditions.
PUBLISHED: 24 Feb 2025 at 16:36
UPDATED: 24 Feb 2025 at 18:33
Thousands of foreigners, recently freed from scam-operating centers in Myanmar, find themselves stranded on the border with Thailand following a significant multinational effort to dismantle these criminal operations, according to multiple sources. Authorities from China, Thailand, and Myanmar have intensified operations against these centers, part of a broader crackdown on human trafficking across Southeast Asia, as highlighted by United Nations reports.
Recently, Thai and Cambodian law enforcement conducted a raid in a border town, resulting in the liberation of 215 foreign detainees.
– 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 center workers, with challenges in facilitating their transfer to Thailand. Additionally, reports indicate that the Karen Border Guard Force is detaining around 6,500 foreigners after recent clampdowns on centers in Shwe Kokko and the Chinese-managed “KK Park.”
Despite previous deportations of 621 Chinese nationals, the Border Guard Force expressed the need for cooperation from the Thai government and international embassies to arrange the repatriation of the remaining detainees, citing a heavy burden on their resources.
“Many are stuck in limbo, and Thailand’s lack of response is causing significant distress,” stated an aid worker positioned near the border. “These victims seem to be revictimized.” Thailand’s Foreign Ministry announced that planning is underway for the future transfer of those freed, contingent on the readiness of their respective embassies.
The affected individuals mainly consist of Chinese nationals, with a smaller number from other countries, as per reports from aid workers.
Concerns surround the conditions in which the former scam center workers are held, with local authorities alerting to inadequate sanitation and health resources available.
– No capacity for more –
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai acknowledged that the country lacks the capacity to accept additional individuals unless their foreign embassies undertake repatriation efforts. Earlier this month, Thailand accepted 260 scam center workers, over half of whom were from Ethiopia, a nation without an embassy in Thailand. Additionally, Thailand facilitated the repatriation of 621 Chinese nationals through multiple flights from a border location last week.
The issue of scam centers, long-standing in the region, has come under intensified scrutiny following the recent rescue of a Chinese actor who was lured to Thailand and subsequently abducted to such a center in Myanmar. In response, Southeast Asian nations have ramped up efforts to combat these illicit operations, including Thailand cutting off power, fuel, and internet access to areas associated with the scams.
Since March 2022, victims of telecom scams in Thailand have incurred financial losses amounting to 80 billion Thai baht, noted a Thai Police Colonel during a recent briefing.
