A Reuters investigation has uncovered a sprawling international criminal network operating online scam centres along the Thai-Myanmar border, where thousands of trafficking victims are forced into cyber fraud under brutal conditions.

Victims, lured with promises of legitimate jobs in Thailand, are intercepted at Bangkok airport by traffickers posing as immigration officers or hotel staff. They are then transported to remote Thai provinces before being taken across the border to Myanmar’s infamous fraud compounds, such as “KK Park.”

According to testimonies from nine survivors from Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, between 2022 and 2025 victims were coerced into phishing schemes, fake investment scams, and other online frauds. Many were forced to work up to 20 hours a day, adopting false identities to deceive people worldwide.

The scam centres, largely run by Chinese criminal gangs, are reportedly protected by local militias with links to Myanmar’s army. Survivors described inhumane conditions, including overcrowded dormitories, inadequate food, and violent punishments for failing to meet financial targets. Reported abuses included electric shocks, beatings with bamboo sticks, and denial of medical care.

The report also points to complicity from some Thai immigration officials in facilitating the trafficking process. While Myanmar’s army has denied involvement, its control over border areas allows such operations to continue.

Despite joint enforcement efforts by China, Thailand, and Myanmar, the networks remain resilient. Thousands of victims have been rescued in recent crackdowns, yet many remain trapped in relief camps under militia control, awaiting repatriation amid bureaucratic hurdles.

Survivors face lasting trauma, heavy debts, and financial instability, while the industry continues to threaten global digital security by enabling money laundering, identity theft, and large-scale online fraud.

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