Calling himself Mike, an Ethiopian, a man murmured on the phone: “I swear to God I need help.” He is among 450 persons housed in a structure inside Myanmar close to the Thai border. These people caught in a bureaucratic nightmare with no obvious route home are victims of human trafficking.
Thousands of people have been liberated from the infamous scam operations running for years. Authorities have responded with their harshest measures yet against the scam business across the Thai-Myanmar border. Many of those saved, however, are now stranded in Myanmar awaiting assessments and flights back home—a remarkably long process.
Why Still Stranded in Myanmar Are These Human Trafficking Victims?
More than 7,000 freed individuals are now stuck in makeshift camps, with limited support from the armed militia groups holding them. One militia group has even stopped releasing more people from the compounds since they cannot be transported fast enough to Thailand.
The camps’ conditions are appalling—unhygienic, with inadequate food, and many of the liberated workers, like Mike, are in bad health. Having spent a year working at a scam center, he now experiences extreme panic attacks. “We get two basic meals a day,” he remarked. “There are only two toilets for 450 people, so people relieve themselves wherever they can.”
Another main problem is inadequate medical treatment. Many of the liberated victims have ailments like tuberculosis, and medication is not easily available. Those who were physically mistreated in the scam compounds have untreated injuries, and their mental health is failing as they wait. Studies indicate that the incident is causing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in many.
How were people tricked into these scam centers?
Mike told how the promise of a decent job in Thailand drew him into this nightmare. “They claimed it was simply an English and typing job,” he said. But upon arrival, he was subjected to a cruel government and compelled to work long hours fraudulating people online under the direction of Chinese superiors.
“That was the worst experience I had in my life. Of course, I was beaten. Still, believe me—I have seen much more terrible done to other people.
To what extent is this human trafficking scam operation widespread?
Along the Thai-Myanmar border, it is believed that over 100,000 people have been drawn to work for these fraud companies. Most of these compounds are run by Chinese fraud and gambling syndicates that exploit the lawlessness in Myanmar’s border regions.
Thousands of people from economically deprived areas continue to arrive despite numerous accounts of mistreatment from those who have fled, lured by false promises of well-paying employment. Many times, these victims of human trafficking are caught without means of escape.
Which techniques were applied to fool online victims?
A young man from Bangladesh Ariyan came back to Thailand to assist 17 pals still caught in the fraud centers. Following his terrifying escape in October, he vowed to be of service to others.
He talked about being pressured to get Middle Eastern guys to send money to bogus companies. “Every week they assigned us a target—$5,000. Should we fall short, they locked us in a dark room devoid of windows or delivered two electric shocks’, he said.
Ariyan further revealed that on video calls, scammers employed artificial intelligence to alter his looks, therefore presenting him as a beautiful young woman. “I detested doing it,” he remarked. “I wish I could warn one man I knew who was about to sell his wife’s jewelry to invest. But the managers tracked every call we made.
What Actions Have Authorities Taken Against These Scam Centers?
The release of workers began more than two weeks ago after Thailand, under pressure from China and some of its leaders, took a stance. Authorities limited banking access for scam bosses, cut power and telecommunications links to the scam compounds, and issued arrest warrants for militia leaders safeguarding operations.
Although this harmed the scam company, it also affected the nearby Karen community, which put more pressure on militia leaders to assist victims in fleeing. A few compounds have been evacuated.
Who Controls the Camps Where the Rescued Workers Are Held?
The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), an insurgent group of the ethnic Karen population, guards the camp Mike is now living in. Up until recently, the DKBA had been safeguarding numerous fraud sites under its jurisdiction. Their presence along the Moei River, which divides Myanmar from Thailand, is clear—rows of fresh construction in the devastated Karen State contrast strikingly with the rural terrain on the Thai side.
Why Is Thailand Reluctant to Bring in More Victims?
Thailand says it is processing the freed scam workers and sending them home fast enough. Earlier this month, 260 workers were transported across the Moei River, while 621 Chinese nationals were flown straight back to China with police escorts.
Still, development has slowed down. The difficulty is that some of the victims come from other nations, some of which are unwilling to bring their nationals back. Around 130 of the first 260 laborers transported to Thailand are Ethiopian, but Ethiopia lacks an embassy in Bangkok to enable their return.
Many African nations have said they will only fly their nationals home provided someone else covers the cost. Most of the liberated workers have nothing—not even passports, as they were confiscated by the scam leaders.
Thailand is reluctant to welcome thousands of people into its borders without knowing they will be returned home. Authorities also must screen people to separate real victims of human trafficking from those who might have engaged in criminal activity—a process they lack the means to handle on such a large scale.
The Humanitarian Crisis Worsening: How?
With various Thai ministries and agencies involved in managing the crisis, bureaucratic delays have stalled progress. Further complicating efforts, several high-ranking police and immigration officials have also been relocated due claims of participation in the scam business.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said, “If this issue is not resolved, then we will not stop working on it—we must work seriously”. Her remarks, however, focused more on the more general scam business issue than on the pressing humanitarian crisis afflicting those already freed.
A humanitarian worker voiced significant concern: “We are hearing alarming information regarding the absence of sanitation and bathrooms. Of the 260 who already arrived, many were checked for tuberculosis and some came back positive. Those left inside are coughing up blood. Though the rescue operation is moving too slowly, they are glad to be free from the scam compounds.”
Thailand seems ready to bring over a group of 94 Indonesians since their embassy has aggressively pressed for their release and set travel plans for them. Still unclear about their fate, over 7,000 others are caught in Myanmar.
What Will Happen If These Victims Are Not Rescued Soon?
Mike worries that the DKBA would turn them back to the fraud leaders should they be denied access to Thailand shortly. “We will be punished for trying to leave should that happen,” he warned.
His panic episodes and dyspnea got worse on Wednesday night, thus he had to be sent to a hospital.
“I merely want to go home,” he begged. “I just want to go back to my country. That is all I am asking.”
