KATHMANDU, May 30: The government has rescued 687 Nepali nationals from Southeast Asian countries over the past 10 months, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Paudel Chhetri said that 616 Nepalis had previously been rescued through coordination between Nepali missions and relevant agencies, while an additional 71 people were rescued in the last two weeks.
According to the ministry, those rescued include 562 from Cambodia, 111 from Myanmar, eight from Laos, and six from Thailand. Authorities believe many more Nepalis may still be stranded in the region.
Paudel said that, at the request of the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok, the Cambodian government has so far waived fines for 102 Nepalis, while requests have been submitted for the waiver of fines for another 172 individuals.
The ministry said the government is actively working to identify and rescue Nepalis who were lured into illegal online scam centers operating along the border areas of Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.
According to the ministry, 29 Nepalis are currently imprisoned in Cambodia on charges including organized crime, torture, and human trafficking. Efforts are underway through the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok to secure their release and repatriation.
Similarly, the government is continuing efforts to obtain pardons for 18 Nepalis detained in Myanmar and has been providing them with necessary assistance.
In total, 47 Nepalis remain in prisons in Cambodia and Myanmar, the ministry said.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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