500 Indian nationals stranded in Thailand over Myanmar scam hub, MEA assures repatriation
In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ministry was aware of the situation about the detained Indians in Thailand, and it's working with authorities to bring them back home.
PTC News Desk: India is coordinating with Thailand to bring back nearly 500 of its citizens detained there after fleeing Myanmar, where they had been duped into working at a cybercrime hub run by Chinese mafia networks. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said India is preparing to send an aircraft to repatriate its nationals who crossed into Thailand from Myanmar.
In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the ministry was aware of the situation about the detained Indians in Thailand, and it's working with authorities to bring them back home.
"We are aware of Indian nationals who have been detained by Thai authorities. They had crossed into Thailand from Myanmar over the past few days. Our mission in Thailand is working closely with Thai authorities to verify their nationality and to repatriate them, after necessary legal formalities are completed in Thailand," Jaiswal said.
Last week, Myanmar’s military raided the Chinese mafia-controlled KK Park compound, prompting about 700 trafficked workers — including several Indians — to escape. Many of them were detained by Thai authorities after crossing the border. Earlier today, PM Anutin said the Indian ambassador would meet with Thailand’s immigration chief to expedite the verification process for the Indian nationals before their return flight.
Since last week’s operations, Myanmar’s junta has intensified its crackdown on KK Park, a cybercrime hub, forcing hundreds of foreign workers to flee into the Thai border town of Mae Sot. According to Thai authorities, more than 1,500 people from 28 countries have fled and are currently being sheltered in Thailand.
KK Park, notorious for running large-scale cyberscam operations, and other nearby compounds are controlled by Chinese criminal syndicates and protected by local militia groups aligned with Myanmar’s military.
The border regions linking Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia have emerged as major centres of online fraud since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the UN estimating billions of dollars generated through trafficking and forced labour.
Earlier this year, India had also repatriated several citizens after thousands were rescued from similar cyberscam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border during a regional crackdown.