Mar 13, Kathmandu - Twenty-one Nepali citizens lured by deception and caught in illegal online scamming centers and casinos in Cambodia have been rescued and repatriated to Nepal.

The Nepalese Embassy in Bangkok, in collaboration with the Cambodian government and the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Cambodia, facilitated the rescue of these individuals, who had been involved in illegal activities and were residing in Cambodia without visas. The embassy has stated that efforts are ongoing to bring back other stranded or vulnerable Nepali nationals facing similar hardships.

The embassy has also received information that some Nepali citizens are engaged in illegal work such as online scams and are overstaying their visas or residing without proper documentation. It has urged these individuals to contact the embassy or NRNA representatives in Bangkok for assistance in returning to Nepal.

Many of those involved in scam centers report losing their passports when transferred or detained, but the embassy has assured support by issuing free travel permits for their safe return.

According to tourism data, Nepali visitors to Cambodia have increased significantly—from 101 in 2021 to nearly 9,700 in 2025—highlighting the growing presence of Nepali nationals in the country.

The embassy has also advised Nepali nationals to adhere strictly to official procedures, including obtaining proper work permits, and to avoid falling prey to schemes promising quick and high earnings abroad. It warned against traveling to countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand under false pretenses, urging everyone to follow legal channels for employment abroad.