Kathmandu, March 13
Twenty-one Nepali citizens who had travelled to Cambodia after being lured by various individuals and later became victims of online fraud while working in illegally operated online scamming centres and casinos have been rescued and brought back to Nepal.
According to officials, the 21 Nepalis had been engaged in various illegal activities and were also staying in Cambodia without visas. They were rescued through the initiative of the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, with the support of the Cambodian government. With the facilitation of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Cambodia, they were returned to Nepal today.
The embassy stated that efforts are also underway to bring back other Nepali citizens who are stranded or facing difficult circumstances in Cambodia.
The embassy said it had received information that Nepali nationals in Cambodia were involved in illegal activities such as online fraud and were staying without visas or beyond their visa validity.
The embassy has also requested Nepali citizens who are living illegally or facing difficulties in Cambodia to contact the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok or representatives of the Non-Resident Nepali Association in Cambodia for assistance in returning to Nepal.
Many victims working in scamming centres have complained that their passports were confiscated by the companies employing them or that they lost their passports when being transferred between scamming centres. In such cases, the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok has been issuing a free one-way travel document to facilitate their return to Nepal.
According to tourism statistics from Cambodia, the number of Nepali visitors to the country has increased significantly in recent years. In 2021, 101 Nepalis travelled to Cambodia on tourist visas. The number rose to 1,977 in 2022, 2,940 in 2023, 6,404 in 2024, and 9,676 in 2025.
The embassy has urged Nepali citizens to travel for foreign employment only after obtaining labour approval in accordance with the standards set by the Government of Nepal. It has also warned people not to fall for promises of quick and easy money by travelling to countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand under the pretext of tourist visits for foreign employment.
