Crackdown on Scam Networks: Thailand and China Unite

Thailand and China have agreed to collaborate against illegal call centres near the Thai-Myanmar-Cambodia border, dealing in phone and online scams. These centres, manned by trafficked workers, have proliferated since the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting international cooperation to eradicate these networks effectively.

Thailand and China are joining forces to tackle the rapid expansion of illegal call centres along the Thai border with Myanmar and Cambodia. These centres, often run by trafficked workers, aim to deceive individuals through phone and online scams.

Southeast Asia, particularly the border regions of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, has become a focal point for telecom and online fraud in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Nations reports the trafficking of hundreds of thousands into these scam networks. Thai police announced plans to establish a coordination centre in Bangkok, with China setting one up in Mae Sot, near Myanmar's Myawaddy, a known base for such operations.

China and Thailand are under increasing pressure to address these scams following the high-profile rescue of Chinese actor Wang Xing from Myanmar. On Tuesday, a consensus was reached between Chinese, Myanmar, and Thai officials to dismantle telecom fraud centres in Myanmar. The Global New Light of Myanmar reported that over 55,000 foreign nationals have been repatriated from such compounds since late 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)