Scam Compound Survivors in Asia Turn Trauma into Advocacy

Thailand – At Pitch*'s job as a coordinator for the Immanuel Foundation (IMF), a Thai counter-trafficking organization, no two days are the same. One day, he might stand before hundreds of people, sharing his experience. The next, he might pick up a call from someone who has just realized that the lucrative job offer they accepted led them straight into a scam compound.

A few years ago, he was on the other end of that call. As a small business owner whose income had dried up during the COVID-19 pandemic, he was desperate to make ends meet. When a promising job offer abroad came, he took it in a heartbeat. Little did he know that he would be trafficked into a scam compound, where he would be forced to commit financial scams or to lure in others with the same ruse that had once deceived him.

What sustained Pitch through this upheaval was a deep sense of self-compassion. Even on the darkest days, he kept reminding himself that none of it was his fault. He was not a willing participant in the scams.

He extends that same compassion to those he supports today.

"For victims of trafficking returning home, all they want is to be treated with kindness and to be heard without judgment," Pitch says. "That simple act of support can make all the difference as they rebuild their lives."

Pitch began his humanitarian career almost by accident. After enduring six months of abuse in the compound, he and several friends finally received assistance from IMF. The organization coordinated their return to Thailand and guided them through legal processes.

While Pitch was formally identified as a victim of trafficking, some of his friends remained at risk of criminalization as their cases stalled. Determined to help them seek protection, he started working with IMF – and from that day, he has never stopped.

"I started by sharing my experience with journalists who wanted to cover the issue," he explains. "Over time, my role expanded into speaking in seminars, facilitating training sessions and providing guidance to survivors."

Pitch knows what it takes to rebuild a life from scratch. That is why IMF, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), began conducting skills development training for returning survivors in Thailand's border provinces. Recent sessions focused on manicure and bartending skills, led entirely by the survivors that Pitch once supported.

The manicure trainer holds a special place in his memory. After escaping the scam compound alone, she spent days without shelter before making her way back to Thailand. At the time, Pitch was worried about her future. Today, she stands confidently in front of the classroom, teaching others the skills that have helped her rebuild her life.

"Back then, she called me in tears almost every day," he recalls. "I am so proud of how far she has come."

Pitch's story echoes those of survivors-turned-advocates across the region, including Chaminda* from Sri Lanka.

Like Pitch, Chaminda lost his job during the pandemic and fell victim to a fraudulent job offer. After scraping by through construction work and food delivery jobs, he believed an opportunity in Thailand would turn his life around. Instead, it led him to a scam compound in Myanmar, where he was forced to work 16 hours a day.

After months of abuse and repeated pleas for freedom, Chaminda paid a hefty sum to secure his release. The traffickers kept his passport, leaving him stranded without documents or money.

He crossed through the forest into Thailand, where he was eventually referred to IOM. The organization provided temporary shelter and clothing while he underwent the victim identification process.

Now back in Sri Lanka, he still carries the weight of his trauma. Yet, when faced with two choices – remain silent or speak out – he chooses the latter.

"If just one more person could be saved by me speaking out, I would do it," he says. "This is my motto."

That motto carried Chaminda's advocacy further than he had ever imagined. One feature story led to interview requests, then invitations to speak at international conferences. At first, he feared being judged, but the more he saw the impact of his work, the more confident he became.

"No one understands a survivor like another survivor," he says. "Someone once came up to me and said, 'Thank you. Now I have someone I can speak to.' That's when I knew this was worth it."

As trafficking for forced criminality continues to evolve rapidly across the region, testimonies from people like Chaminda and Pitch are more critical than ever – not only as warnings, but as insights into what genuine recovery requires. Since 2022, IOM Thailand has supported nearly 800 victims of trafficking linked to online scams, underscoring the scale of the issue.

"Effective protection starts with listening to survivors and ensuring their voices inform our responses," says Among Resi, Head of Protection and Border Governance at IOM Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. "This means creating meaningful opportunities for them to be heard and reflected in our research, conferences and policy discussions. When we understand their realities, we can deliver protection that is meaningful and rights-based."

Looking ahead, both Chaminda and Pitch agree that the work is far from over – but neither is giving up.

Chaminda's ambition has grown from saving just one person to reaching as many as possible. Every person prevented from entering a scam compound means several fewer people being scammed outside it. He will continue taking the stage for as long as it takes to make that happen.

For Pitch, it comes down to something simpler. He just wants to be there for whoever calls next.

"My passion for this work is unconditional. I don't expect anything in return," he says. "Seeing the people I support smile is enough."

*Names changed to protect identities

Written by Kamonnat Setpattanachai

Originally published by IOM Thailand