A harrowing tale of exploitation and captivity is unfolding in Myanmar’s eastern Myawaddy township, a border town near Thailand, where hundreds of Indonesian migrant workers have fallen victim to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam operations. The crisis, exacerbated by ASEAN’s visa-free travel policy, has sparked urgent calls for regional cooperation to combat the multibillion-dollar criminal networks profiting from this modern-day slavery. As images emerge of alleged scam centre workers and victims sitting on the ground during a crackdown by the Karen Border Guard Force (BGF) on 26 February 2025, the scale of the problem is becoming impossible to ignore.
The visa-free facility, intended to foster unity and ease travel within the ASEAN region, has inadvertently provided a gateway for traffickers to lure vulnerable individuals with promises of lucrative tech jobs. For many Indonesians, the dream of a better life abroad has turned into a nightmare of torture, confinement, and coercion. With the Indonesian Foreign Ministry recently revising the number of its citizens held captive in Myawaddy to 525 from an earlier estimate of 366, the true extent of the crisis remains unclear, compounded by Myanmar’s ongoing civil war.
A Deadly Deception
The journey for many victims begins with an online job promising high-paying roles in the tech industry. Enticed by salaries far beyond what they could earn at home, individuals—often computer-literate but economically desperate—travel to Thailand under the visa-free arrangement. Upon arrival, they are picked up at the airport and driven to an unknown destination. Unbeknownst to them, they cross the border into Myanmar, arriving in Myawaddy, a town in the rebel-controlled Karen state. Here, their passports are confiscated, and the reality of their situation sets in. 
Survivors’ accounts paint a grim picture: confined to dark rooms with minimal food and water, they are forced to operate online scams targeting their own compatriots back home. Failure to meet quotas results in harsh punishment, including physical abuse. This is not the stereotypical image of migrant labour exploitation; among the victims are educated individuals, including a former member of the Sukabumi legislative council in West Java. The syndicates behind these operations employ a chilling “member gets member” recruitment strategy, coercing victims to deceive friends and relatives into joining under threat of violence.
Myawaddy, situated across the Moei River from Thailand’s border town of Maesot, has become a hub for such illicit activities, including online gambling and financial fraud. Indonesia’s recent crackdowns on online gambling traced many operations back to Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, with Myawaddy emerging as a key centre. The criminal networks, reportedly generating billions of dollars, exploit the region’s porous borders and political instability—Myanmar’s civil conflict between the military junta and rebel groups like those in Karen state creates a lawless environment ripe for such activities.
ASEAN’s Role and Responsibility
The visa-free travel policy, a cornerstone of the ASEAN community project, has been hailed as a step towards regional integration. Yet, as this crisis reveals, it has also lowered barriers for traffickers to move victims across borders with ease. While the policy itself is not the root cause of human trafficking, critics argue that ASEAN governments have failed to implement adequate safeguards to prevent its abuse. The lack of concerted regional efforts to address the issue at its source—stopping victims from being lured abroad in the first place—has drawn sharp criticism.
Recent joint operations between Thailand and Indonesia offer a glimmer of hope. A mission to rescue 84 Indonesians, including 70 men and 14 women, from captivity in Myawaddy marks a rare instance of cross-border collaboration. Thailand’s proximity and access through Maesot have been instrumental, while the Myanmar government, grappling with internal conflict, has provided limited assistance. However, these efforts are merely a bandage on a gaping wound. Without addressing the systemic factors driving trafficking, such as economic disparities and lax border controls, the problem is likely to persist.
ASEAN’s slow-paced, consensus-driven approach—often referred to as the “ASEAN Way”—is ill-suited to a crisis where lives and dignity are at stake. The grouping must take collective responsibility for a policy that, while well-intentioned, has enabled exploitation on an industrial scale. Individual governments, too, have a role to play. Indonesia, for instance, could strengthen public awareness campaigns to warn citizens of online job scams, while improving domestic job prospects to reduce the incentive to seek work abroad under risky circumstances.
A Regional and Global Challenge
The victims in Myawaddy are not exclusively Indonesian. Survivors report the presence of other nationalities, particularly Chinese, trapped in similar conditions, though Indonesians are among the most numerous. This points to a broader, regional challenge that extends beyond ASEAN’s borders. The online scam industry, encompassing financial fraud and gambling, targets victims worldwide, making it a global issue requiring international cooperation.
The political instability in Myanmar adds another layer of complexity. Myawaddy lies in Karen state, a region controlled by rebel forces fighting against the military junta in Naypyidaw. The ongoing civil war hampers efforts to gather accurate data on the number of victims, with the Indonesian Foreign Ministry relying on reports from relatives of the missing to update its figures. This chaotic environment also limits the ability of authorities to conduct sustained crackdowns on trafficking networks, as evidenced by the reliance on local forces like the Karen Border Guard Force to carry out operations such as the one on 26 February.
Pathways to a Solution
Addressing this crisis demands a multi-pronged approach. First, ASEAN must establish a regional task force dedicated to combating human trafficking, with a focus on online scams. This body could coordinate intelligence-sharing, border security measures, and public awareness campaigns to disrupt trafficking networks before they ensnare more victims. Stricter vetting at border crossings, even under visa-free arrangements, could help identify and protect vulnerable individuals.
Second, individual member states must tackle the root causes driving migration. In Indonesia, where job prospects remain limited for many, the government could invest in vocational training and economic development to create viable opportunities at home. Public education on the dangers of online job offers, coupled with accessible reporting mechanisms for suspected scams, could empower citizens to make informed decisions.
Third, international partners, including the United Nations and major donors, should support ASEAN in building capacity to address trafficking. This could include funding for law enforcement training, victim rehabilitation programmes, and technological tools to trace and shut down online scam operations. Pressure must also be applied to ensure that Myanmar, despite its internal challenges, cooperates in dismantling criminal hubs like those in Myawaddy.
A Test for ASEAN’s Future
The human trafficking crisis in Myawaddy is a stark reminder of the unintended consequences of regional policies. ASEAN’s visa-free travel facility, while a symbol of unity, has exposed deep vulnerabilities that criminal syndicates are quick to exploit. If the grouping fails to act decisively, it risks undermining the very principles of cooperation and mutual benefit that underpin its existence.
For the hundreds of Indonesians and others still trapped in Myawaddy, time is of the essence. Their stories of deception, captivity, and forced labour are a call to action for ASEAN and the international community. The images of victims and alleged perpetrators sitting on the ground during the Karen Border Guard Force’s crackdown are not just a snapshot of a single operation but a symbol of a systemic failure that must be addressed. If reforms and interventions are implemented swiftly, there is a chance to stem the tide of this modern slavery. But as long as economic desperation and regional loopholes persist, the promise of a better life abroad will continue to lure the vulnerable into the hands of traffickers.
