Dhaka, March 29 -- Tens of thousands of people are smuggled every year in Southeast Asia, spurred by conflict, corruption, and climate-related disasters, according to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The study, published on Tuesday, surveyed 4,875 migrants and refugees in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand and found that 83 percent said they had been smuggled into the country.

They included people from Myanmar, Bangladesh and other parts of Southeast Asia. Many were Rohingya who had made risky sea journeys in recent months in search of safety.

WHY AGREE TO BE SMUGGLED?

A significant portion of the migrants said they were fleeing conflict, violence and persecution in their home countries. One in four said that clima...