The Thailand-Myanmar border has long been a region of geopolitical tension, economic hardship, and lawlessness. Recent events have highlighted its transformation into a hub for organized crime, human trafficking, and financial fraud. With Myanmar in turmoil, border towns like Myawaddy have become grey zones, where no single authority holds complete control, allowing criminal syndicates to operate with impunity.
Myanmar’s crisis deepened after the 2021 military coup, when the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military) overthrew the democratically elected government, sparking nationwide resistance. The ensuing chaos has weakened law enforcement and created the perfect environment for criminal enterprises to thrive. One of the most disturbing consequences of this breakdown is the mass trafficking of people into scam compounds, where victims are trapped and forced into cyber scams.
The case of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was kidnapped in January 2024 and forced into a scam operation in Myanmar, illustrates how anyone can become a target. Deceived by promises of a legitimate job, he was held in a heavily guarded compound alongside dozens of others, stripped of his identity, and coerced into defrauding fellow Chinese nationals. His experience is just one among thousands of similar cases, as Myanmar’s lawlessness fuels one of the fastest-growing forms of modern slavery.
A Systemic Global Crisis
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been plagued by military rule and internal conflict for decades. Despite brief democratic reforms, the military’s grip on power never truly loosened. The Karen National Union (KNU), an ethnic resistance group, has fought for autonomy along the border for years, creating a complex and unstable landscape where multiple factions vie for control.
Since the coup, Myanmar has been locked in a civil war, with rebel groups seizing territory while the military struggles to maintain order. In these lawless regions, illegal activities such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking flourish. The situation has worsened to the point where entire border areas have become black-market economies, controlled by a mix of criminal syndicates, corrupt officials, and militia groups.
The human trafficking operations within Myanmar have evolved. Traditional forms of trafficking—forced labor and sexual exploitation—are now joined by a far more lucrative enterprise: cyber-scam trafficking. Victims, lured by fake job offers, are transported to heavily secured compounds, where they are forced to run scams, often targeting people from their home countries.
The Rise of Scam Centers
These scam centers, particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, have become a multi-billion-dollar industry. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that over 200,000 people have been trafficked into these operations across Southeast Asia since 2020.
Victims are recruited under false pretenses, believing they are securing legitimate work in tech, customer service, or marketing. Instead, they find themselves locked inside compounds, forced to run investment frauds, romance scams, and cryptocurrency schemes. Those who resist or fail to meet scam quotas are subjected to torture, electric shocks, starvation, and beatings.
The case of Wang Xing is one of the most high-profile incidents, but he is far from alone. In Cambodia, a video went viral in 2022 showing a man thrown off a building after attempting to escape from one of these scam centers. Human rights organizations continue to report on the brutality and scale of these operations, yet the response from law enforcement has been slow and fragmented.
The Criminal Networks Behind the Operations
These scam centers are not isolated operations—they are backed by transnational criminal organizations, often with links to corrupt officials, militia groups, and illicit financial networks. In Myanmar, pro-junta militias and ethnic armed groups are known to provide protection to these scam centers in exchange for financial kickbacks.The border regions offer the perfect legal limbo for these operations to thrive. Myanmar’s military is too preoccupied with fighting rebel forces to focus on crime, while Thai and Cambodian authorities struggle to enforce laws across international borders. Corruption within local governments also plays a role, as fake work permits and falsified documents allow traffickers to operate with relative ease.
The problem extends beyond land borders. Maritime trafficking routes in Southeast Asia have long been infamous for human rights abuses, with forced laborers trapped on fishing boats for years. A VICE documentary exposed how trafficking victims are enslaved in the fishing industry, never setting foot on land, highlighting the widespread and systemic nature of human trafficking in the region.
Thailand, as Southeast Asia’s most popular tourist destination, has found itself implicated in these criminal networks. Despite efforts to crack down on trafficking, the country remains a key transit hub for victims being smuggled into Myanmar and Cambodia. The introduction of visa-free travel for Chinese tourists in 2023 has raised concerns that it may have unintentionally made trafficking easier, with criminals exploiting relaxed border controls to lure more victims.
Internationally, human trafficking laws remain weak. Many scam center victims are still classified as illegal workers rather than trafficking victims, leaving them without legal protections. This loophole allows traffickers to continue operating with little fear of consequences.
China, having seen tens of thousands of its citizens trafficked into scam operations, has started taking a harder stance, conducting raids on these centers and working with local governments to repatriate victims. However, as long as Myanmar remains in a state of conflict, these operations will continue to expand.
Beyond Awareness: Concrete Actions Against Modern Slavery
Governments and law enforcement agencies must move beyond awareness campaigns and take decisive action. Intelligence-sharing and cross-border cooperation need to be prioritized to dismantle the networks facilitating these crimes.
Thailand recently cut power, internet, and fuel supplies to five Myanmar border towns, including Myawaddy, in an effort to disrupt scam syndicates. This move forced some criminal operations to temporarily shut down, but also caused hardships for local communities and prompted scam centers to adapt by using generators. While it was a significant step, it underscored the need for a comprehensive approach that goes beyond temporary disruptions.
Efforts must also target the financial networks that enable these operations. The rise of cryptocurrency-based fraud has made it easier for traffickers to launder money across borders, making regulatory oversight crucial. Governments should impose stricter financial regulations on digital transactions, particularly in regions where scam operations are thriving.
At the international level, stronger pressure must be applied to Myanmar’s ruling junta and militia groups profiting from human trafficking. Sanctions and international legal action could be leveraged to disrupt funding streams that sustain these operations. At the same time, there must be a push to recognize scam center victims as trafficking victims, ensuring they receive protection rather than prosecution.
The explosion of scam centers in Southeast Asia is a stark reminder that human trafficking is evolving. As long as conflict persists and governance remains weak, criminal networks will continue to exploit these grey zones with impunity.
Governments, NGOs, and the private sector need to work together to address the root causes—conflict, corruption, and economic desperation. Current efforts, while important, are not enough. There needs to be greater accountability, better victim protections, and a more aggressive approach to dismantling the financial systems supporting these crimes.
For individuals, particularly travelers, job seekers, and businesses operating in the region, vigilance is critical. Recognizing the risks and tactics used by traffickers can be the first line of defense in preventing more victims from falling into these traps. By exposing these operations and holding those responsible accountable, there is a chance to turn the tide against modern slavery in Southeast Asia.
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References
AP News. (2025, February 5). Thailand cuts power, fuel, and internet to Myanmar border towns in bid to curb crime. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/0cfdfb57aa2e05e5835b1af3b4ac8e1a
Reuters. (2025, February 6). Thailand’s crackdown on Myanmar scam centers leaves local communities in crisis. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thailand-cuts-power-fuel-internet-supply-parts-myanmar-2025-02-05/
VOA News. (2025, February 7). Over 260 human trafficking victims rescued from Myanmar scam center by Karen militia. Retrieved from https://www.voanews.com/a/trafficking-victims-rescued-from-myanmar-scam-center/7972816.html
The Diplomat. (2024, December 18). Myanmar’s armed conflict and the rise of border criminal networks. Retrieved from https://thediplomat.com/2024/12/myanmar-crisis-border-crime/
UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2024, November). The Rise of Cyber-Scam Trafficking in Southeast Asia. Retrieved from https://www.unodc.org/seasia-cybercrime-trafficking.pdf
South China Morning Post (SCMP). (2025, January 22). Chinese actor Wang Xing rescued from Myanmar scam syndicate. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/china/myanmar-scam-wang-xing-rescue
BBC News. (2023, October 15). Cambodia’s human trafficking crisis: Survivors tell of scam center horrors. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-cambodia-scams
Vice News. (2022, August 10). Pirates of the Southern Sea: The brutal reality of human trafficking on Southeast Asia’s fishing boats. Retrieved from https://www.vice.com/en/article/southeast-asia-human-trafficking
Human Rights Watch (HRW). (2024, July). Trapped and Tortured: Forced labor in Southeast Asia’s scam centers. Retrieved from https://www.hrw.org/report/southeast