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More than 250 foreign workers, primarily from African and Asian nations, have been freed from telecom fraud centers in Myanmar's Karen State and brought to Thailand, according to reports by the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). The release, facilitated by the DKBA, included 221 men and 39 women from various countries, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Philippines.
This intervention follows escalating pressure from Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra recently pledged to combat the proliferation of these scam centers along the Thai-Myanmar border. Measures implemented by her government include cutting off access to electricity and fuel for these operations and tightening banking and visa regulations to hinder scam activities, as noted by Thai officials.
Many of the workers had been lured to these centers with false job promises and were coerced into cyber-crime activities, with reports of torture and forced labor also emerging. The situation reflects broader challenges in Myanmar, where armed groups like DKBA maintain control over territories and permit the operation of scam businesses, despite pledges to expel them.