RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia has facilitated the return of more than 1,800 of its citizens from Cambodia in recent weeks, many of whom were believed to be involved in or trapped within online scam networks operating in the country. The Indonesian Embassy in Phnom Penh said that from late January to March 8, 2026, a total of 1,816 Indonesians had been assisted to return home.

According to a press release from the embassy received in Jakarta on Tuesday, March 10, most of the Indonesians did not have valid passports and faced overstaying fines because their residence permits had expired. To accelerate the repatriation process, the embassy issued temporary travel documents known as Surat Perjalanan Laksana Paspor (SPLP) for citizens without passports.

“So far, more than 2,112 SPLPs have been issued,” the statement said, as quoted by Antara.

The embassy also coordinated closely with Cambodian authorities to facilitate the waiver of overstay fines. To date, more than 3,211 Indonesians have received approval for the fines to be waived. The embassy said it would continue coordinating with authorities in both Cambodia and Indonesia to ensure the repatriation process runs safely, orderly, and smoothly.

The surge in repatriation requests highlights a sharp rise in Indonesians seeking direct assistance at the embassy. Between January 16 and March 8, 2026, a total of 5,481 individuals sought help to return home, surpassing the entire number of cases handled in 2025, which stood at 5,088.

The embassy said the spike in cases followed a crackdown by the Cambodian government on online scam networks that began in early January 2026. ***