Bhubaneswar: In a major relief for their family members, four of the six youths stranded in Thailand have been safely brought back to Odisha following coordinated efforts by the government, official sources said on Saturday.
The returnees, identified as Jayanta Kumar Mallick, Hemanta Kumar Behera, Manaranjan Sahu, and Bijay Kumar Swain, arrived in the state on Saturday, an official statement said.
The youths, hailing from Kendrapada and Bhadrak districts, had travelled to Thailand in August 2025 to work for a plywood company. However, they later alleged that the company failed to pay their wages and that they faced multiple hardships while stranded abroad.
Seeking assistance, the youths reached out to the Odisha government via social media. Acting swiftly, the government coordinated with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Chief Resident Commissioner’s Office in New Delhi, the Directorate of Odisha Paribar under the Odia Language, Literature & Culture Department, the Labour & Employees’ State Insurance Department, and the Kendrapada and Bhadrak district administrations to ensure their safe return.
xpressing gratitude after their arrival, the youths thanked the government for its timely intervention and support. The coordinated efforts have raised hopes that the remaining two youths stranded in Thailand will also be repatriated soon.