In a significant development, Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, confirmed the successful rescue of another Hong Kong resident from a notorious scam farm in Myanmar. This brings the number of victims rescued to 18, while 10 individuals remain detained, waiting for assistance.

Lee announced this news during a press briefing on Tuesday, expressing hope for the continued efforts to rescue the remaining hostages. “We’ve seen one more victim had been rescued from Myanmar recently, and we hope to further strengthen our work [in rescuing the victims],” he stated in Cantonese.

The issue of Hongkongers becoming victims of human trafficking in Myanmar has seen a spike, especially since the military coup in 2021 that ousted the elected government. Since mid-2024, the Hong Kong government has received a total of 28 requests for help from families of those captured, highlighting the severity of the situation. A relative of a victim, who spent four harrowing months in captivity, is currently safe in Thailand and has called on the Hong Kong government for assistance in returning home.

Notably, Andy Yu, a former district councillor, has been actively supporting the families of trafficking victims over the past months. He recently shared on social media that the release of one victim was facilitated without any ransom being paid. Yu believes that pressures from the Thai government on Myanmar's military regime played a crucial role in securing this release.

As incidents of trafficking continue to rise, the Hong Kong government is intensifying its response. Last week, a task force led by the Security Bureau successfully extracted a trafficking victim from Thailand after discussions with Thai officials regarding the plight of Hongkongers held captive by these dangerous scam operations.

In light of these ongoing developments, the Hong Kong Security Bureau has updated its travel advisories for the region. Following Yu's appeal to reassess advisories for Thailand and Myanmar, the alert for southeastern Myanmar, which borders Thailand, was raised to red—indicating a significant threat and advising travelers to avoid unnecessary travel. The travel alerts for the rest of Myanmar and for Thailand remain at yellow, cautioning travelers to exercise vigilance.

The surging cases remind us of the critical need for vigilance and awareness among future travelers. It’s vital for prospective visitors to Southeast Asia to be informed about potential dangers and for governments to provide timely support to their citizens potentially caught in perilous situations.