Bangkok, Nov 6: At least 270 Indian nationals, including 26 women, were repatriated from Thailand’s Mae Sot city to India through two special Indian Air Force (IAF) flights, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok announced on Thursday.
The repatriation was coordinated by the Embassy of India in Bangkok and the Consulate of India in Chiang Mai, in close collaboration with various agencies of the Royal Thai Government.
According to the Indian Embassy, these individuals had crossed into Thailand from Myanmar’s Myawaddy region, where they were allegedly working in cyber scam centres. They were detained by Thai authorities for violating immigration laws after entering the country illegally.
The Embassy stated that both Indian missions in Thailand and Myanmar are actively working with local authorities to ensure the safe return of remaining Indian nationals still stranded in Myanmar, who are reportedly involved in similar activities.
“Indian nationals are strongly advised to verify the credentials of foreign employers and recruitment agents before accepting overseas job offers,” the Embassy cautioned in a post on X. It further reminded travellers that visa-free entry into Thailand for Indian citizens is strictly for tourism or short business visits and should not be misused for employment purposes.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that India had been coordinating with Thai authorities for the early repatriation of Indians detained after crossing from Myanmar.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We are aware of Indian nationals detained by Thai authorities. They had crossed into Thailand from Myanmar in recent days. Our Mission in Thailand is working closely with local authorities to verify their nationality and repatriate them once legal formalities are completed.”
The operation marks another successful effort to bring back Indians trapped in illegal employment networks in Southeast Asia.
