BANGKOK — Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has strongly refuted a Reuters investigation that alleged Thai immigration officials were involved in trafficking foreigners into Myanmar-based cybercrime operations, calling the report “essentially fictional” and demanding media outlets verify information before publication.
The controversy stems from a Reuters multimedia report titled “They traveled to Thailand. They wound up cyber scam slaves in Myanmar,” which featured interviews with nine foreigners from South Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia who claimed to have been trafficked through Thailand.
The Disputed Account
Central to the Reuters story was the testimony of “Oly,” described as an IT consultant in his early 30s from East Africa who allegedly traveled from Ethiopia to Thailand in November 2024 to visit a friend. According to the report, Oly claimed a female immigration officer checked his passport at the airport and then handed him over to a hotel staff member at the baggage carousel.
He alleged he was subsequently driven off-route, fell asleep during the journey, and awoke to find himself in Mae Sot before being forced across the border into Myanmar to work for a call center scam operation.
Several Thai media outlets subsequently republished the story with headlines suggesting Thai Immigration’s complicity in human trafficking, prompting concerns about damage to Thailand’s international reputation.
Immigration Bureau’s Response
On September 20, 2025, Police Major General Cherngron Rimpadee, Commander of Immigration Division 2, held a press conference to address what he characterized as “distorted facts” in the Reuters report.
Pol.Maj.Gen. Cherngron revealed that he had ordered a comprehensive review of all foreign nationals entering Thailand in November 2024 with names spelled exactly or similarly to “Oly.” The investigation yielded significant discrepancies with the Reuters account:
Of 62 individuals with similar names found in immigration records, only two were from East Africa: a Ugandan man who arrived from Doha to Phuket on November 5, 2024, and departed November 14, and a Kenyan woman who arrived from Dubai on November 28 and left December 5. Critically, no Ethiopian nationals matching the description were found in the database.
Logistical Impossibilities
Pol.Maj.Gen. Cherngron also highlighted several logistical impossibilities in the Reuters account. He noted that hotel staff cannot access airport baggage carousels without special clearance from the Airports Authority, stating that even he, as Commander of Immigration Division 2, cannot enter such areas without proper credentials.
Additionally, he questioned the plausibility of the alleged eight-hour journey from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Mae Sot, during which the victim supposedly “slept throughout the trip” despite claiming to know the vehicle had gone off-route, without attempting to resist or call for help.
Thailand’s Anti-Trafficking Measures
The immigration commander emphasized that Thailand has implemented comprehensive screening measures at all entry points, particularly airports, targeting two distinct groups:
High-risk foreign nationals potentially involved in call center gangs, including citizens from African and South Asian countries, undergo enhanced scrutiny of visas, return tickets, travel plans, and accommodations. Those with previous entries via Myanmar or Cambodian border checkpoints are automatically denied entry. From January 2025 to date, 16,538 individuals have been refused entry, including 303 from South Asia and Africa.
Potential victims of trafficking operations are identified through indicators such as first-time visits to Thailand, vague travel plans, lack of return tickets, or unconfirmed accommodations. These individuals are interviewed, warned of risks, and have their contact details recorded. Since January 2025, immigration officers have conducted 5,278 such interviews.
Broader Context
Pol.Maj.Gen. Cherngron questioned the motives behind the Reuters report, noting that it followed another major international outlet’s documentary titled “Dark Side of Paradise” that portrayed Thailand negatively. He stressed that Thailand actively coordinates with foreign governments to dismantle trafficking networks and has repatriated numerous foreigners rescued from Myanmar call center operations.
The immigration official noted that many rescued individuals claimed victim status to avoid prosecution despite having participated in scam operations themselves, and are now flagged in immigration databases to prevent future entry.
Call for Media Responsibility
“Reuters’ allegations are unfounded,” Pol.Maj.Gen. Cherngron concluded. “I call upon all Thai media outlets to verify their information before publishing, to avoid becoming a tool of foreign media organizations with ill intent toward Thailand.”
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between Thailand’s efforts to combat human trafficking and international media coverage of the country’s role in regional cybercrime operations based in Myanmar and Cambodia.
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