The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has ramped up operations to rescue Nepali nationals trapped in illicit digital scamming hubs across Southeast Asia. According to Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudel Chhetri, a total of 612 Nepalis have been repatriated to date from Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
The rescue data reveals that Cambodia accounts for the highest number of returnees at 487, followed by 111 from Myanmar, 8 from Laos, and 6 from Thailand. Coordination is being led by the Nepali embassies in Bangkok and Yangon, which are working closely with local authorities. Officials confirmed that travel documents for an additional 53 individuals have been processed, with their return expected shortly.
The scale of the issue is significant; data shows that approximately 21,000 Nepalis have traveled to Cambodia since 2021. Authorities fear a substantial portion of these individuals may have been lured into "fraud centers" under false pretenses. However, not all Nepalis in the region are victims. The Cambodian government recently arrested 14 Nepali nationals for criminal involvement—nine of whom were detained this week. Five face organized crime charges in Siem Reap, while four others are being investigated for kidnapping and torture.
Parallel to these rescue efforts, the Ministry is focusing on legislative reform. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal announced that a draft bill to amend and unify laws regarding Non-Resident Nepalis (NRNs) will soon be presented to Parliament. The goal is to better integrate the skills and capital of the diaspora into Nepal’s national development.
To date, over 5,000 NRNs have obtained Nepali citizenship under existing provisions. Minister Khanal stated the ministry aims to finalize the draft within five days. Additionally, MoFA is enhancing inter-agency cooperation with the Ministries of Industry and Physical Infrastructure to further strengthen Nepal’s diplomatic and economic ties abroad.
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