400 Indonesian Online Scam Victims Rescued from Myanmar, Safely Repatriated

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Selasa, 18 Maret 2025 - 14:00 WIB

Jakarta, VIVA – After crossing conflict zones and the Myanmar-Thailand border, Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assisted by the Indonesian Embassies in Yangon and Bangkok, successfully repatriated 400 Indonesian online scam victims from Myawaddy, Myanmar, on Tuesday (March 18).

The victims were flown on two separate flights from Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok, and arrived safely at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Indonesia.

An additional 154 Indonesians are set to arrive on Wednesday, (March 19), bringing the total number of repatriated victims to 554 (449 men and 105 women).

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono personally welcomed the first group at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. He emphasized that this repatriation effort was carried out under President Prabowo's directive to protect and rescue Indonesian citizens facing dangers abroad.

"The evacuation process was highly complex as it involved crossing conflict areas in Myanmar and a 10-hour journey by land through the Myanmar-Thailand border using 13 buses," Minister Sugiono stated.

He further explained that the initial plan was to fly the victims directly from Maesot, Thailand, but due to the large number of evacuees and airport limitations, they were instead transported to Bangkok—a 6-hour journey—before flying back to Indonesia.

Minister Sugiono highlighted the difficulties in coordinating the evacuation due to various factions and interests in Myawaddy, Myanmar.

The repatriation involved a joint effort by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Indonesian Embassy in Yangon, and the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok.

The first repatriation flight was led by Ambassador Rachmat Budiman, Indonesia’s Ambassador to Thailand, while the next group will be led by Judha Nugraha, Director of Indonesian Citizen Protection.

"I understand that this mission was extremely dangerous and challenging. However, thanks to their dedication and sense of duty, our team successfully carried out the operation despite the risks," Minister Sugiono added.

Moreover, minister Sugiono expressed gratitude to the Thai and Myanmar governments, as well as other institutions, for their cooperation in ensuring a successful repatriation.

To prevent future cases of Indonesians falling victim to online scams, he urged job seekers to avoid suspicious overseas job offers and only use official employment channels.

This is not the first online scam case handled by Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since 2020, over 6,800 cases have been recorded across 10 different countries. In 2024, 92 victims were rescued, followed by 174 more in January-February 2025.