Key Points 

• Myanmar’s military junta took power in 2001, exacerbating human trafficking due to weakened law enforcement and increased criminal impunity.
• As of 2023, an estimated 120,000 victims were trapped in forced labor, many coerced into scam operations, sexual exploitation, and other illicit activities.
• Regional efforts aim to repatriate 7,000–10,000 trafficked individuals, primarily from scam centers in Myanmar.
• Myanmar, Thailand, and China have pledged cooperation to facilitate safe repatriations, through their implementation. Authorities plan to return 5,000 victims, at a rate of 1,000 people per week, but logistical and humanitarian concerns persist.
• Victims may be left stranded in transit countries with no access to basic needs, humanitarian aid, or medical support, worsening the humanitarian crisis due to unsanitary holding conditions and inadequate assistance.
• Myanmar’s military junta, deeply complicit in trafficking networks, lacks the political will for lasting solutions, which could possibly allow traffickers to relocate operations, shift scam centers to new jurisdictions, and adopt more advanced deception techniques to evade crackdowns.
• Myanmar’s military regime, highly unstable and deeply involved in illicit activities, is unlikely to dismantle trafficking operations on a large scale. However, increased global scrutiny and diplomatic pressure could push Myanmar and its neighbors to strengthen anti-trafficking measures and improve victim protections.
• Individuals near the Thailand-Myanmar border should be extra cautious, especially in border towns where trafficking networks are active and repatriation efforts are underway. These areas can be unpredictable, with risks of exploitation, displacement, and limited access to aid.