235 Taiwanese forced to work for fraudsters still trapped in Myanmar: MOFA

Taipei, March 23 (CNA) A Taiwanese diplomat reported last week that approximately 235 Taiwanese nationals are still trapped in Myanmar, forced to work for fraud rings, following the successful rescue of 203 citizens.

Lin Hung-hsun (林宏勳), deputy head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs told reporters on Friday that Taiwan's government has warned nationals to be on high alert amid frequent reports of individuals being forced to work for telecom fraud rings.

Starting in 2022, MOFA and its Myanmar office have received hundreds of calls asking for help from Taiwanese citizens or family members after individuals were lured to Myanmar over the promise of highly-paid work, only to be forced into working for fraud rings, Lin said.

MOFA has received requests to assist 438 nationals stranded in Myanmar. So far, 203 have returned to Taiwan.

Lin said it is difficult to rescue nationals from Myanmar because the "fraud hubs," where the illegal activity takes place, are located near Myanmar's border with Thailand, in areas controlled by armed rebel groups.

Lin added that it is challenging for diplomats to establish contact with these groups.

Therefore, MOFA has been working closely with international NGOs and ethnic Chinese groups in Myanmar to learn more about the Taiwanese individuals forced to work in the fraud centers and help them escape.

Lin said the hubs are mainly run and staffed by Chinese nationals. People from Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka and Japan, are also among those forced to work for the fraudsters, he said.