MAE SOT — Thailand’s Immigration Bureau has stepped up border and airport checks to block foreigners who fled scam compounds in Myanmar from re-entering the country, amid concerns that deported workers may attempt to return under new identities and fall back into cross-border cybercrime networks.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Phanumas Boonyaluck, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, ordered stricter screening after Myanmar forces destroyed the notorious KK Park complex, a hub for international scam operations. The raid prompted hundreds of foreign workers to flee across the Moei River into Thailand through natural border crossings.
According to Immigration Bureau spokesperson Pol. Maj. Gen. Cherngron Rimphadee, as of Nov. 10, authorities had detained around 1,440 illegal entrants since Oct. 22. Most were Indian nationals (465), followed by Africans (270), Filipinos (220), and Chinese (187). All are being held for repatriation under the Immigration Act.
Each individual will undergo interviews under the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) — a framework for identifying and assisting potential victims of human trafficking and forced labor in line with international standards.
The Immigration Bureau has also ordered biometric data collection for all detainees to prevent them from re-entering Thailand under false identities. Officials warned that some may attempt to return and again fall prey to scam syndicates in neighboring countries.
Additionally, airport immigration officers nationwide have been instructed to deny entry to anyone previously deported from Myanmar scam hubs, particularly from South Asian and East African nations. Officers were also told to caution young or middle-aged travelers arriving alone without clear travel plans, return tickets, or hotel bookings, as they may be targets of trafficking networks.
Since the beginning of the year, airport immigration officers have issued more than 3,300 warnings to travelers deemed at risk of being lured into illegal work.
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