Bangkok: Thailand has taken in 260 victims of human trafficking—more than half of them Ethiopians—from Myanmar, the Thai army announced on Thursday. The large-scale repatriation comes as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle scam centers operating along the porous border between the two countries.
Criminal Networks and Forced Labor
According to the United Nations, organized criminal networks have trafficked hundreds of thousands of people across Southeast Asia, forcing them to work in illicit online operations that generate billions of dollars annually. Many of these illegal enterprises are concentrated along the Thai-Myanmar border, where weak enforcement and ongoing conflict create conditions for exploitation.
“After screening the group and verifying their nationalities, it was found that there were 20 nationalities,” the Thai army stated. Of the 260 victims, 138 were identified as Ethiopian nationals.
These illicit operations have existed for years, but Thailand’s crackdown has intensified since last month, following the abduction of Chinese actor Wang Xing. He had been lured to Thailand with the promise of an acting job but was later found in Myanmar. Thai police rescued him, bringing renewed attention to the scale of human trafficking in the region.
Thailand has received 260 human trafficking victims from Myanmar, in a massive repatriation that comes amid a mounting crackdown on scam centers operating along a porous border https://t.co/IQIrrl941j pic.twitter.com/1DQBJnZ6as
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 13, 2025
Mass Repatriation from Myanmar
On Wednesday, a large group of trafficking victims was seen crossing the Moei River from Myanmar’s Myawaddy area into Thailand. Thai soldiers supervised the repatriation, directing the victims onto military vehicles for further processing.
The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), an armed group operating along the Thai-Myanmar border, stated that its forces discovered the trafficked individuals while searching for forced laborers in areas under their control.
“We don’t know how they got here,” said Major Saw San Aung, the DKBA’s chief of staff, in a statement to Reuters. “We are continuing the search of forced labour, and we will send them back.”
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Thailand Tightens Measures Against Trafficking Hubs
In an effort to combat these illegal operations, Thailand recently took significant action by cutting off electricity, fuel, and internet services to parts of Myanmar where scam compounds are known to operate. This move underscores Bangkok’s growing concern over the impact of trafficking and scam centers on Thailand’s security and its vital tourism industry.
The Thai government has pledged to strengthen border controls and continue working with international partners to dismantle human trafficking networks that have thrived in the region.
