Lured by promises of high-paying jobs and resettlement overseas, ethnic minority residents in Vietnam's Central Highlands sold their assets and left home, only to face hardship, uncertain legal status and shattered dreams.
For years, ethnic minority communities in Vietnam's Central Highlands have been targeted by individuals persuading them to cross borders illegally.
Exploiting economic hardship, aspirations for a better life and limited access to reliable information, these individuals use social media and personal connections to promise well-paid jobs and opportunities for resettlement in third countries.
Although these tactics are not new, many people continue to fall victim, selling their possessions and leaving their hometowns only to find themselves living abroad without legal residency and facing precarious circumstances.
In response, authorities and local administrations have stepped up public awareness campaigns and efforts to encourage and assist people wishing to return home.
Many returnees have received support to rebuild their livelihoods, stabilize their lives and gradually regain a sense of security in their home communities.
Selling everything for the promise of a better life
On October 21, 2026, four ethnic minority residents from Gia Lai Province returned to Vietnam from Thailand with assistance from local authorities.
Among them was Ksor Thong, a resident of Ia Dreh Commune, who had sold his goats, tractor and agricultural produce to pursue the dream of a better life overseas.
Before leaving Vietnam, Thong owned productive assets and equipment that supported his family's livelihood. Although his family was not wealthy, they had a relatively stable source of income.
In late May 2025, he began communicating through social media with someone living in Thailand who told him about opportunities to earn a high income and eventually resettle in the United States.
Convinced by these promises, Thong sold his belongings and raised VND50 million, transferring most of the money to a broker to arrange his departure.
However, life in Thailand was entirely different from what he had been promised.
Without legal residency documents, he struggled to find stable employment and income. He took temporary jobs to survive before eventually being placed in an immigration detention facility.
Thong wanted to return to Vietnam but had no money and did not know where to seek assistance.
His hopes of improving his family's circumstances had collapsed, and the assets that once supported their livelihood were gone.
Thong's experience was not an isolated case.
Ksor Thong (far left) and three other residents are welcomed home by Gia Lai Provincial Police after returning from Thailand.
R Au Hra, a woman from Dang Village in Ea H'leo Commune, Dak Lak Province, also left her hometown in 2017 after being persuaded by an acquaintance she had met through social media.
During eight years abroad, her family endured numerous hardships.
Eventually, their greatest wish was no longer to become wealthy but simply to return home and reunite with relatives.
In March 2025, after police officers explained the relevant procedures and encouraged them to return, her family registered for repatriation.
These experiences illustrate the consequences of trusting promises that lack credible foundations.
Those who leave not only lose money to brokers but may also sacrifice their productive assets, employment and family stability. By the time they realize that reality does not match their expectations, returning home can be extremely difficult.
Children accompanying their parents abroad are particularly vulnerable.
According to information released by the Ministry of Public Security on June 27, 2026, authorities helped seven residents from Ia Ko and Ia Bang communes return to Vietnam between June 23 and 26.
Most were minors who had traveled abroad with their parents or other relatives.
In three cases, either the father or mother was being detained in Thailand. Another returnee was suffering from leukemia and wished to return to Vietnam for treatment.
Although these children did not make the decision to leave Vietnam themselves, they still suffered the consequences.
Their education, healthcare and family lives were at risk of disruption because of their parents' irregular immigration status.
For this reason, local authorities have sought not only to facilitate their return but also to resolve administrative procedures and help them resume schooling, access healthcare and settle back into their communities.
One notable family reunion involved Ro Mah Alung, a resident of Ia Hrung Commune in Gia Lai Province.
According to Gia Lai Provincial Police, while Alung was being detained in Thailand, his wife, Puih H'Thuy, contacted Vietnamese authorities to request assistance in returning home.
On September 11, 2026, H'Thuy and the couple's three children safely returned to Vietnam.
Alung was subsequently assisted in returning on October 21, reuniting with his wife and children after a prolonged separation.
Overcoming fear and stigma to return home
Ro Mah Alung reunites with his wife and three children after being detained in Thailand.
For many Vietnamese living abroad without legal residency, recognizing that they have been deceived is only the first step.
Deciding to return home can be difficult because of financial constraints, missing documents and fears about what might happen upon arrival.
Some people lack reliable information about repatriation procedures and available assistance. Others worry about potential complications or consequences after returning.
These concerns can lead them to postpone their return despite continuing to experience hardship and insecurity abroad.
In such circumstances, the experiences of people who have already returned can be particularly persuasive.
After learning that acquaintances had received police assistance with documentation, transportation, travel expenses, clothing and journeys back to their hometowns, many people became more confident about seeking help.
Successful returns have not only reunited families but also provided practical examples that encourage others abroad to consider returning.
In Ea H'leo Commune, Dak Lak Province, Rcham Y Rok, a respected community representative in Sam Village, has worked closely with local authorities and police for years to raise awareness and encourage residents to return.
He regularly meets villagers to explain the risks of irregular migration and also maintains contact with people living overseas to understand their circumstances and concerns.
Drawing on his previous experience working in the locality, his knowledge of local customs and the trust he has earned within the community, Y Rok is well placed to communicate with residents.
He also encourages families and neighbors to welcome returnees, offer encouragement and provide practical assistance rather than stigmatizing or isolating them.
For people who left home hoping to improve their lives but returned after exhausting their savings and losing their possessions, acceptance by their families and communities can provide essential emotional support.
Experience suggests that effective repatriation efforts require more than warnings about the risks of illegal border crossings and unauthorized residence abroad.
People also need clear information about the procedures for returning home and the assistance available to them.
Understanding their rights and responsibilities, as well as knowing whom to contact for support, can help them make informed decisions about returning.
Rebuilding livelihoods on their homeland
R Au Hra, from Dang Village in Ea H'leo Commune, Dak Lak Province, was previously persuaded to sell her family's assets and travel to Thailand.
After eight years away, R Au Hra and her family returned to Dang Village facing the difficult task of starting over.
With assistance from local authorities, police and community organizations, the family received help with administrative procedures, health insurance, housing and essential household items.
Local officials also connected the family with preferential loan programs, enabling them to purchase a small agricultural transport vehicle for carrying produce and fertilizer.
With 1.3 hectares of farmland, Hra and her husband have resumed agricultural production and focused on tending their crops.
During periods when there is less farm work, both take temporary jobs to supplement their income, cover household expenses and support their children's education.
After years of uncertainty abroad, the family is gradually rebuilding a stable life through familiar work on their own land.
Their experience demonstrates that helping people return home is only the beginning.
The greater challenge is ensuring that returnees can rebuild their livelihoods, achieve financial stability and avoid becoming vulnerable to similar promises again.
Each returning family faces different circumstances.
Those who still own farmland may need access to capital, seeds and agricultural techniques. Those who have lost their productive assets may require employment opportunities, while children whose education has been interrupted need support to return to school.
Assistance policies must therefore reflect the actual needs of individual households rather than focusing solely on immediate relief without providing long-term livelihood solutions.
Community participation is equally important.
A word of encouragement, practical guidance or a job opportunity can help returnees overcome feelings of shame, regain confidence and gradually reintegrate into local life.
For people who once sold their possessions and left their villages in pursuit of a better future, returning home means more than ending a period of uncertainty abroad.
It offers an opportunity to begin again.
But for repatriation to truly open the door to a better future, returnees need more than a warm welcome. They need sustainable livelihoods that allow them to rebuild their lives and remain securely rooted in their home communities.
Vietnamnet.vn
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