Chinese Nationals Repatriated from Scam Centers in Eastern Myanmar

More than a thousand Chinese nationals, who were believed to have been working in online scam centers in eastern Myanmar, have been transported from Thailand back to China. The journey began when these individuals were escorted from Myanmar’s Myawaddy to Thailand’s Mae Sot, where they underwent processing including biometric scans before boarding chartered flights.

In an effort coordinated by Thailand, China, and Myanmar, authorities have been dismantling scam centers that have swindled billions of dollars from victims worldwide through deceptive romantic schemes, fraudulent investment pitches, and illegal gambling operations. The operations have reportedly ensnared hundreds of thousands of people across Southeast Asia, with many lured under false pretenses into virtual slavery.

Thai officials detailed that approximately 1,041 Chinese nationals are involved in the repatriation program, conducted in batches of 50 and overseen by police. These individuals are processed at Mae Sot before being flown by China Southern Airlines, with a number of those suspected of fraud-related activities diverted to an airport in Nanjing for further handling by Beijing.

The coordinated crackdown is part of a broader initiative where authorities are also managing the evacuation and processing of scam center workers from other countries. Recently, around 260 people from 20 nations were rescued, with plans in place for further repatriations. This comes as Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, during her visit to Beijing, pledged to intensify efforts against these scam networks, even taking drastic measures such as cutting off utilities to affected areas in Myanmar along the border.