Bangkok: The Thai government will continue to root out call centre scam networks in neighbouring countries by collaborating with the governments of Cambodia and Laos following the success of the Myanmar case, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. Phumtham, in his Facebook post on February 22, highlighted the government’s proactive efforts to combat call centre scams.
According to Lao News Agency, Phumtham explained that call centre scams are transnational crimes that directly impact the lives of Thai and foreign nationals alike. He noted that the government understands that solving this issue requires a systematic approach, not just arrests of criminals. It involves cutting off crime operations, assisting victims, and establishing international collaborations to prevent such crimes from recurring, as no single country can address this issue alone, he said.
Over the past time, Thailand has proactively worked with China and Myanmar to cut off water, power, and fuel at five key locations along the Thai-Myanmar border to weaken call centre gangs and effectively halt their activities. In addition, Thailand discussed plans for cooperation with Laos, resulting in a joint effort between both countries to crack down on drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cybercrime. The leaders of both countries have signed an MoU for their collaboration.
Moreover, Phumtham ordered Royal Thai Police inspector-general Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot to join a meeting with the Cambodian National Police to create plans to prevent these scam networks from relocating. He stressed that the Thai government is committed to protecting Thais from criminal networks and has already made substantial progress.
Meanwhile, the repatriation of Chinese victims of call centre gangs and illegal businesses in Myanmar concluded on February 22. During a three-day operation, a total of 628 Chinese victims were repatriated. The effort was part of a larger plan to help victims held by criminal gangs in Myanmar’s Myawaddy.