On October 23, 2025, the banks of the Moei River separating Myanmar and Thailand became the unlikely stage for a dramatic exodus. According to AFP, more than 600 people—precisely 677 by official count—fled the notorious KK Park scam centre in Myanmar’s Myawaddy township, crossing into Thailand after a military raid sent shockwaves through the compound. The group, a mix of men and women from various countries, was met by Thai immigration police and military personnel, who quickly set up humanitarian assistance and began screening the newcomers to determine whether they were victims of human trafficking or had crossed the border illegally.
This mass flight is the latest chapter in a saga that has unfolded along Myanmar’s loosely governed border since the military coup of 2021 plunged the nation into civil war. In the chaos that followed, sprawling scam compounds sprang up, exploiting the region’s instability. These centres, fortified and often operating with impunity, have become hubs for internet fraud, targeting victims across Southeast Asia and beyond with romance scams, business cons, and more. The illicit industry is staggering in scale: a United Nations report cited by France24 estimated that up to $37 billion was swindled from victims in the region in 2023 alone.
The Thai authorities, led by Sawanit Suriyakul Na Ayutthaya, deputy governor of Tak province, were quick to respond. “Immigration police and a military task force have worked together to provide assistance under humanitarian procedures… and they will undergo screening,” Sawanit told AFP. The process, he explained, is designed to identify those who have been trafficked—many workers are duped or coerced into these compounds—while those found not to be victims may face prosecution for illegal border crossing.
But the line between victim and perpetrator is often blurred. While some scam workers are clearly trafficked, forced to labor in grim conditions behind barbed wire and watchtowers, experts note that others join voluntarily, drawn by the promise of higher earnings in the multibillion-dollar shadow economy. As the Tak Provincial Administration office stated, the group entering Thailand comprised “foreign nationals”—both men and women—with authorities anticipating more arrivals in the coming days.
The events of October 23 were not isolated. Indonesian state news agency Antara, relaying information from the Indonesian embassy in Yangon, reported that around 20 Indonesians had successfully crossed into Thailand via the Moei River by the evening of October 22. On the Myanmar side of the border, an AFP journalist observed over 100 more people gathering early Thursday, many with suitcases and backpacks, waiting for a chance to escape. A local driver, speaking anonymously for security reasons, estimated that around 700 people had made illegal overnight crossings.
The roots of the scam centre crisis run deep. According to France24 and Digital Journal, Myanmar’s military has long tolerated these operations, which funnel profits to allied militias—crucial partners in their battle against rebel forces. Despite international pressure, particularly from China (whose citizens are both perpetrators and frequent targets of these scams), crackdowns have often been superficial. “Because of the news it became a need for our organisation to resolve it carefully,” said Saw Tin Win, a senior figure in a local militia, as quoted by Myanmar media. “There is pressure from the military, so we warned people not to continue bad things.” Yet, analysts suggest these actions are more about appeasing foreign critics than dismantling a lucrative business model.
In February 2025, a highly publicised crackdown led to the repatriation of around 7,000 workers from scam centres and prompted Thailand to enact a cross-border internet blockade. However, as an AFP investigation revealed this month, the industry has proven remarkably resilient. Construction at several compounds continues apace, and Starlink internet receivers—connecting to Elon Musk’s satellite network—have been installed en masse, allowing scam hubs to bypass conventional internet restrictions and maintain their operations. The technology arms race between authorities and criminal networks, it seems, is very much ongoing.
The transnational nature of these scams is underscored by recent law enforcement actions across the region. On October 22, 2025, Thailand’s deputy finance minister, Vorapak Tanyawong, resigned following allegations linking him to cyberscam operations based in neighboring Cambodia. Just days earlier, Cambodia deported 64 South Koreans accused of ties to scam networks, and on October 23, Cambodian police arrested 57 more South Koreans and 29 Chinese nationals in Phnom Penh. Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Office, meanwhile, seized assets worth 70 million baht (about $2.1 million) from Cambodian senator and tycoon Ly Yong Phat as part of a broader investigation. The U.S. government had already sanctioned Ly Yong Phat in 2024 for alleged abuses related to human trafficking in scam centres.
For the individuals fleeing KK Park and similar compounds, the future remains uncertain. Thai authorities are tasked with sorting out genuine trafficking victims from those who participated willingly in the scams. According to the Tak Provincial Administration, the screening process is ongoing, and more arrivals are expected. Some may find a path home through repatriation; others could face prosecution or deportation.
The broader impact on Southeast Asia is profound. The proliferation of scam centres has not only bilked billions from unsuspecting victims but also fueled corruption and instability in already volatile regions. The use of advanced satellite technology, such as Starlink, has added a new layer of complexity for law enforcement, making it harder to disrupt these networks. The resignation of high-profile officials and the seizure of assets from powerful figures highlight the political and financial stakes involved.
Yet, despite crackdowns and international pressure, the scam industry shows little sign of slowing. As long as conflict and weak governance persist in Myanmar and neighboring countries, the conditions for such illicit enterprises will likely remain. For now, the sight of hundreds fleeing across the Moei River is both a testament to the human cost of this shadow economy and a stark reminder of the challenges ahead for Southeast Asia’s fight against transnational cybercrime.
As the dust settles along the border, the world is left to wonder: will this latest raid mark a turning point, or simply another chapter in an ongoing struggle?