On February 12, 2025, 261 foreign nationals were repatriated from Myanmar to Thailand after being rescued from scam operations in Myawaddy.

The rescue was carried out by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), who helped transport the victims across the Moei River into the Phop Phra district of Tak province.

They arrived around 4:30 PM, accompanied by a contingent of 100 soldiers and several military trucks.

Upon their arrival, the individuals were taken to the Phop Phra district office for initial processing and questioning.

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced that the Thai government is preparing for an increase in foreign victims freed from the clutches of call-centre scam gangs operating in Myanmar.

This action follows Thailand's recent efforts to disrupt these operations by cutting off power and internet service in the affected border regions.

The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that the Myanmar government had originally planned to send 53 individuals to Thailand, but this number later rose to 261, including nationals from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines.

Thai authorities intend to evaluate the backgrounds of those repatriated, to ascertain whether they were victims of human trafficking or had willingly participated in the scam operations.

Individuals identified as victims may be repatriated to their countries of origin, a process that is expected to take anywhere from three weeks to a month, while others may face legal proceedings.

In his remarks, Mr. Phumtham stressed that Thailand would not accept additional individuals whose home countries refuse to take responsibility for them.

He reiterated that Thailand does not plan to create refugee camps for arrivals from the scam centers.

Several countries have already reached out to Thailand for assistance in bringing their citizens back home.

In preparation for more rescues, the Thai government has increased the presence of security forces along the border to manage potential migration.

Thailand also communicated to Myanmar that it would consider lifting sanctions on internet, fuel, and electricity supplies if significant progress is made in dismantling the scam operations.

Reports suggest that over 17,000 individuals remain trapped in these scam networks in Myanmar, with about 10,000 of them being Chinese nationals.

The ongoing situation continues to draw international attention to issues of human trafficking and the activities of transnational criminal organizations in the area.