Bhubaneswar, February 22: In a significant development, four out of the six youths stranded in Thailand have safely returned to Odisha, providing much-needed relief to their families. The return was made possible through the combined efforts of various government agencies, official sources confirmed.

The youths, identified as Jayanta Kumar Mallick, Hemanta Kumar Behera, Manaranjan Sahu, and Bijay Kumar Swain, arrived in Odisha on Saturday, according to an official statement. The group, originally from Kendrapada and Bhadrak districts, had traveled to Thailand in August 2025 to work at a plywood company. However, they soon found themselves in distress as the company failed to pay their wages, leaving them facing severe hardships.

In their desperation, the stranded workers reached out to the Odisha government through social media. Responding promptly, the state government coordinated with multiple agencies, including 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 district administrations of Kendrapada and Bhadrak, to facilitate their safe return.

Upon their arrival, the returnees expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government for its swift intervention and support. The efforts have also raised hopes that the remaining two youths still stranded in Thailand will soon be brought back home.