125 Indians rescued from Myanmar scam hubs return home
It added that Thailand’s visa-free entry for Indian travellers is strictly for tourism or short business visits, and must not be misused by taking up any form of employment there.
New Delhi: In a significant rescue effort, India on Wednesday brought back 125 of its citizens from Thailand aboard an Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft, after they were freed from scam centres operating in Myawaddy, Myanmar. The Indian Embassy in Bangkok confirmed the development, noting that these individuals had been trapped in criminal cyber hubs run by organised networks.
With this latest evacuation, the total number of Indians repatriated from Myanmar’s scam centres through Thailand has now reached 1,500 since March this year, highlighting the scale of the trafficking and exploitation racket targeting jobseekers from India.
According to the Indian Embassy, the group was flown out from the Thai border town of Mae Sot, a key crossing point for those fleeing the conflict-hit Myawaddy region. Photos shared by the embassy showed relieved returnees boarding the IAF aircraft, many carrying only small bags after weeks or months in captivity-like situations.
“Today, 125 Indian nationals, released from scam-centres in Myawaddy in Myanmar, were repatriated from Mae Sot in Thailand by a special flight operated by the Indian Air Force.
The mission added that the latest repatriation was the result of sustained coordination between India’s Embassy in Thailand, the Consulate in Chiang Mai, and multiple agencies of the Royal Thai Government, including authorities in Thailand’s Tak Province, which borders Myanmar.
These scam centres—most infamously those in Myawaddy’s KK Park—have become notorious for luring foreign nationals with fake job offers, particularly in IT or customer support roles. Once trafficked across the border, victims are forced into cyber-fraud operations, often subjected to threats, restricted movement, and harsh working conditions.
The Indian Embassy issued a strong advisory urging citizens to be extremely cautious when considering job opportunities abroad. It emphasised the need to thoroughly verify the legitimacy of foreign employers, recruitment agents, and companies before accepting any offer.
Indian nationals were also reminded that Thailand’s visa-free entry for Indian passport holders is intended strictly for tourism or short-term business visits. Using this exemption to take up employment in Thailand not only violates local laws but also puts individuals at greater risk of being trafficked or exploited by fraudulent networks.
This is not the first major batch of Indians rescued from these scam hubs. On November 6, India had evacuated 270 nationals from Mae Sot in two IAF aircraft, after they fled Myanmar’s border region following a police crackdown on a cybercrime centre. That operation had followed reports that around 500 Indian nationals were among the 1,500 people from 28 countries who had crossed into Thailand after escaping the raid on KK Park.
The repeated rescue operations underscore the Indian government’s ongoing efforts to dismantle trafficking pipelines and bring home citizens trapped in exploitative conditions across Southeast Asia. For hundreds of families in India, these missions have brought relief after months of uncertainty, fear, and desperate attempts to contact loved ones lost inside Myanmar’s lawless scam enclaves.