Thailand’s Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn travelled to Yangon on 6 November for discussions with the Myanmar authorities regarding the repatriation of 162 trafficked Thai nationals.

They were rescued from Laukkaing Township in northern Shan State on the border with China and evacuated to a safe area, according to the Bangkok Post and other Thai news outlets.

The 162 Thais were lured to Laukkaing by an online scam gang that promised them high-paying jobs. However, upon arrival, they were forced to work illegally in call centres that were engaged in phone scams.

On 4 November, with the assistance of the Myanmar authorities, 29 Thai victims of the scam were rescued from a hotel in Laukkaing where they had been hiding. They were subsequently transported to a safe shelter at a military camp in Myanmar, where they joined 133 other Thai victims, bringing the total number of rescued Thais to 162.

Thailand’s Deputy national police chief said that during his visit to Yangon, he would meet with Myanmar officials to discuss the logistics of repatriating the 162 Thais back to Thailand. He will then travel to the military camp where they are currently being sheltered to assess their well-being.

Myanmar has emerged as a hub for online scams, with thousands of people reportedly lured into working in call centres that engage in fraudulent activities. These scams often target individuals in other countries, promising high-paying jobs but ultimately subjecting them to forced labor and human trafficking.

The involvement of Chinese gangs in these online scams has raised concerns about the level of cross-border cooperation between Myanmar and China in addressing this issue.