Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, working with its embassies in Yangon and Bangkok, successfully repatriated 54 Indonesian citizens who were rescued from a region near the Myanmar-Thailand border.
The group arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Saturday morning, December 13, at approximately 5:30 a.m. local time.
Upon arrival, the citizens were immediately handed over to relevant domestic agencies to receive further assistance and support in accordance with established procedures, the ministry's press statement said.
This repatriation is part of the Indonesian government’s wider effort to assist citizens affected by enforcement operations conducted by the Myanmar Government.
The operations targeted centers of online scamming and illegal online gambling activities in the Myawaddy area of Myanmar, which borders Thailand.
In total, 349 Indonesian citizens have been rescued during this operation. As of December 9, 2025, a total of 302 Indonesian citizens remained in the process of being repatriated in stages.
The Ministry noted that repatriation is currently being prioritized for citizens who are prepared to cover their travel costs independently.
This is the second wave of repatriation from the area.
Previously, in the first wave, 56 Indonesian citizens/migrant workers were repatriated from Myawaddy on December 8.
That group was moved across the Myanmar-Thailand Friendship Bridge No. 2, received by the Indonesian Embassy in Bangkok in Mae Sot, Thailand, and then flown to Jakarta via Bangkok on December 9.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs took the opportunity to issue a strong warning, urging all prospective migrant workers to strictly follow official procedures and regulations, both in Indonesia and in destination countries.
The Ministry emphasized that compliance with official channels is crucial to mitigating the risks of fraud, exploitation, and severe legal problems that could harm the workers and their families.
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that it will continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safe, swift, and coordinated repatriation of all remaining citizens.
