They were forced to eat scraps and endure harsh conditions. Realizing that staying meant certain death, they risked everything to escape.
Detained, tortured, and electrocuted
SGGP reporters met A Kun and A Nhanh from Dak Na Commune, Tu Mo Rong District, Kon Tum Province—two of three individuals deceived into working in Cambodia under false promises of high wages, on March 26. They were recently rescued and brought home.
In October 2024, A Kun, A Nhanh, and A Kien were lured by traffickers with an offer to work in Thailand loading rice for $1,000 per month. Instead, they were taken to Cambodia and only realized the deception upon arrival.
Once there, they were confined with nine others in a heavily guarded compound surrounded by five-meter-high walls topped with barbed wire. Security cameras monitored every move, and armed guards kept watch 24/7. Any escape attempt meant severe punishment—or death.
At first, they were assigned to typing practice. After 15 days, they were forced into online scams. Outside of work, they were locked in their rooms, unable to leave. Food was scarce, often just leftovers. Because A Kun failed to scam anyone, he was regularly beaten and electrocuted—about four times a month. Knowing he wouldn’t survive, he decided to escape.
At the end of January 2025, A Kun and A Nhanh attempted to flee. A Nhanh managed to escape, but A Kun was caught. A Nhanh ran into the forest, pursued by ten captors with flashlights scanning every tree and hiding spot. Terrified, he buried himself in a hole, staying motionless, starving, and dehydrated. After two days, he crossed into Thailand, where authorities detained him before arranging his rescue and return to Vietnam.
Meanwhile, A Kun was severely beaten after his failed escape. The next day, he tried again—only to be recaptured and tortured once more. On the third attempt, he and A Kien successfully fled, hiding in the forest until they lost their pursuers. They eventually found help from the Vietnamese community in Cambodia, who assisted them in returning home.
"When I finally stepped back into my home and saw my family, I knew I had survived that nightmare. It feels like being given a second life," A Kun said.
Hoping no one else falls into the trap
After returning home, A Kun and A Nhanh volunteered to speak at a community conference on March 26, hoping to warn fellow Sedang ethnic minority people about the dangers of false job offers in Cambodia. Organized by the Dak Na Commune People’s Committee and local police, the event was livestreamed for residents across Tu Mo Rong District.
Before an audience from 12 villages, A Kun and A Nhanh recounted how they were deceived, endured inhumane conditions, and desperately longed to return home.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Chairman of Dak Na Commune People's Committee, pointed out that beyond the lure of high wages and limited awareness, a lack of stable employment made people more vulnerable to scams. In response, the commune has been working to connect locals with reputable cooperatives and businesses for secure jobs.
As a result, A Kien—one of the three who were rescued—has found work as a rubber plantation worker at Branch 716 (under Army Corps 15), earning between VND8.5 million and VND10 million per month. The commune is also assisting A Kun and A Nhanh in finding stable employment.
At the conference, the Dak Na Commune People’s Committee signed an agreement with Branch 716 to prioritize job opportunities for ethnic minority workers, helping them secure stable incomes and avoid similar traps.
