Myanmar hands over 84 alleged Indonesian scammers to Thailand

BANGKOK - Myanmar handed over 84 Indonesians to Thailand on Feb 27, officials said, the latest group of alleged scam centre workers set to be repatriated from the region.

The group of 69 men and 15 women crossed from Myawaddy to the Thai town of Mae Sot at around noon (1pm in Singapore) on Feb 27, passing through Thai immigration before being handed over to Indonesian embassy officials.

“They are heading to Bangkok,” a Thai official who asked not to be identified told AFP, adding that, if they arrived late on the evening of Feb 27, “they will probably fly back tomorrow (Feb 28) or the following day”.

He said they had been released from illegal cyberscam centres, which have proliferated on the Thai-Myanmar border in recent years.

Indonesia said those evacuated would return to the capital Jakarta on three flights on the night of Feb 28.

“According to the plan, the 84 repatriated individuals will arrive in Jakarta on Friday night,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ directorate of protection for Indonesian citizens said in a statement.

“They consisted of 69 men and 15 women, including three pregnant women. All were in good health and safe.”

It said an Indonesian Foreign Ministry team, along with staff from its embassies in Yangon and Bangkok, had been in Mae Sot since Feb 23 to “engage in intensive communication” with the authorities in Thailand and Myanmar for the release.

Myanmar’s junta government said in a statement on Feb 27 that the Indonesian nationals were handed over through Thailand, without providing further comment.

About 600 Chinese nationals were deported in a similar manner from Myanmar last week and flown back to China via Thailand, following a visit to the Thai-Myanmar border by a Chinese public security official.

Thailand, China and Myanmar are expected to