Thailand says it has received 260 foreigners who are believed to have been forced to work in scam operations in Myanmar. It says they are from 19 countries and Taiwan.

The Thai defense ministry said the foreigners came under its protection at a crossing point on the border with Myanmar on Wednesday.

It said the group includes 138 Ethiopians, 23 Kenyans, 16 Filipinos and 15 Malaysians.

Thai authorities said they were sent by an armed ethnic minority group in Myanmar. They said they will work to determine more details, such as how they moved into the country.

Since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, scam groups, whose members include Chinese and others, have become active in areas near the Thai border. It is believed that there is a series of cases in which foreigners have been confined and forced to participate in crimes.