Recently, over 250 foreign individuals from 20 countries were released from a telecommunications scam center in Myanmar’s Kayin State, with the Thai military receiving and assessing their victimization, shedding light on the severity of transnational fraud.
In Southeast Asia, Myanmar’s Kayin State has recently become the focus of international attention due to a telecommunications scam center. According to reports from Southeast Asian journalist Jonathan Head, more than 250 foreigners from 20 countries were working there and were ultimately freed by an ethnic armed group before being safely transferred to Thailand. This incident has raised widespread concern regarding transnational human trafficking and fraud activities, especially as the Thai government and the international community have begun to intervene forcefully, leading to improvements in the situation.
These released foreign workers were forced to engage in various online criminal activities at the scam center, including romance scams, cryptocurrency scams, money laundering, and illegal gambling. Many were lured by the promise of high salaries, but the reality was far from their expectations. Some were even deceived, believing they would be taking legitimate jobs in Thailand, only to fall victim to these scam syndicates.
After their release, the Thai military welcomed these foreign workers and is currently assessing their situation to determine if they are victims of human trafficking. Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha recently met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and pledged to take measures to shut down the proliferating scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. To curb these fraudulent activities, the Thai government has halted the supply of electricity and fuel to these centers from the Thai side and has tightened banking and visa regulations to cut off the financial flow to scam operators.
Reports indicate that the operations of these scam centers not only rely on poor labor conditions but also involve widespread abuse of workers. Many escapees have described their harrowing experiences in the scam centers, with some only gaining their freedom after their families paid substantial ransoms. Victims are often workers with skills in languages popular in online scams, particularly English and Chinese, who are coerced into participating in various illegal activities.
The released foreign workers were handed over to Thailand by the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), one of the armed factions controlling certain areas of Kayin State, which has been accused in recent years of allowing scam centers to operate under its protection. The presence of these armed groups has made it difficult for the Myanmar government to effectively control most of Kayin State since its independence in 1948. The Thai Special Investigations Bureau on Tuesday requested arrest warrants for three commanders of the Karen National Liberation Army, accusing them of colluding with a Chinese company in 2017 to jointly build a new city thought to be primarily funded by scam money—Shwe Kokko.
Although Yatai Company claims that Shwe Kokko is no longer involved in scam activities, local residents contend that the scam business is still operational. Under pressure from Thailand and China, the DKBA and other armed groups have stated they will expel scam enterprises from their territories. A DKBA commander contacted a Thai parliament member on Tuesday to arrange the handover of 260 workers, comprising 221 men and 39 women from countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines.
This incident not only highlights the complexity of the scam industry within Myanmar but also reflects the global issue of transnational human trafficking and cybercrime. As the international community becomes more aware of these problems, more measures may be implemented in the future to protect innocent victims and combat related criminal activities.
