799 foreign intruders to Myanmar detained, 61 repatriated, negotiations underway to return remaining 738

NAY PYI TAW February 15

The authorities are investigating and identifying those who illegally entered  Myanmar through border routes via neighboring countries including Thailand and committed illegal online gambling, online fraud, and other crimes in the  Myawady-Shwe Kokko and KK Park areas of Kayin State, and has detained 799 foreign nationals from January 30 to February 15.

Of these detained foreign nationals, 61 were systematically transferred to Thailand on January 31, 2025 in accordance with legal procedures.

In addition, 69 foreign nationals were identified and detained on February 11,  2025, 200 foreign nationals on February 14, and 469 foreign nationals on February 15, a total of 738 were detained, and the personal information and records necessary for their repatriation to their respective countries in accordance with legal procedures have been collected.

The 799 foreign nationals who illegally entered Myanmar through border routes  are from China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Uganda, Thailand and China (Taipei).

The State is reportedly actively cooperating with relevant countries to quickly identify foreign nationals who have committed online fraud, online gambling and other crimes in the Myawady-Shwe Kokko and KK Park areas and extradite them to their respective countries in accordance with legal procedures.

The voices of the detained foreign nationals are also heard as follows-

Mr Pon Wan Pin (Chinese national)

Mr Zeng Hai Ming, a Chinese national who works in Shwe Kokko, Myawady, contacted me about a job in Bangkok, Thailand that would pay 8,000 yuan, so I flew from Guangdong Airport, China, to Bangkok Airport, Thailand, on March 26, 2024. When I arrived at the airport, a Thai man came to pick me up in a car and drove me from Thailand to Mae Sot.

It took me eight hours to get to Mae Sot. After crossing the Thaung Yin River, my friend Mr Zeng Hai Ming came to pick me up in a car. On March 27, 2024, I arrived at Ti Can Company, owned by a Chinese man named Shi Sam, in Mae Thao Thalay. I worked at that company for about 3 months.

From there, I was transferred to Zho Ye Company, owned by a Chinese man named Di Jen, in KK Park, where I worked for about 4 months. Then, I arrived in Shwe Kokko in December 2024 and worked at Chiang Ying Company, owned by a Chinese man named Long Liu, searching for customers on the computer every day from 9 pm until 5 pm the next day. I had to do this work, but I did not receive any salary.

Mrs Xiao Shuang  (Chinese national)

I applied for the job after seeing a job advertisement online. I learned that the  job I would be doing was in a beauty salon and that the salary would be 15,000 yuan per month, so I flew from China to Bangkok, Thailand in September 2024 with my husband, Mr Xiao Xihe, through the company’s connection. When I arrived at Bangkok Airport, a Chinese man, Ar Wei, met me and drove me to Mae Sot. During the transfer, I had to go through four checkpoints in Thailand, but there were no questions asked. It took about seven hours by car to reach  the bank of the Thaung Yin River. From there, I took a boat across the Thaung Yin River and when I reached the other side, a Chinese man drove me to Shwe Kokko. I worked in a beauty salon for  about 5 months and earned about 15,000 baht. The shop I worked at was next to the shop where my husband worked.

Mr Yu Yong Bing (Chinese national)

A Chinese man known from online said that there is a job for me in Yunnan. He said he had a job for me in Bangkok and I left Yunnan for Bangkok on September 12, 2024. When I arrived in Bangkok, a Chinese man sent me the car number to pick me up via Viber. I left in that car and arrived in Mae Sot in the evening. I had a job at Hing Tu Company in Shwe Kokko. My job was to find customers online.

Mrs Hou Mei Xin (Chinese national)

I flew from China to Bangkok, Thailand on February 28, 2024 to work in Shwe Kokko. When I arrived in Bangkok, a Chinese man came to meet me. I crossed the Thaung Yin River with 4 other Chinese men from Bangkok and arrived in Shwe Kokko.

I worked at Heng Chuang Company, which is owned by a Chinese man. She was required to chat for unlimited hours every day from 8 pm to find customers. I have not received my salary since I started working.

Mr Yuan Zong Liang (Chinese national)

My friend from Guangdong, Xu Feng, offered me a job at a restaurant in Mae Sot, Thailand, for 7,000 baht a month. With his arrangement, I flew from Guangdong Airport to Bangkok on July 15, 2024. When I arrived in Bangkok in the afternoon, a Thai man he arranged came to pick me up in a car. At around 7 pm, I reached a stream and took a boat to the other side.

When I got to the other side, a man came to pick me up and took me to Ya Htike Company in Shwe Kokko. At that company, I worked online to find  Facebook accounts that were going to be scammed. I worked from 10 pm every day until 2 pm the next day and only earned 4,000 baht a month.

Source: Myawady Web Portal