BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Cyber Police are closely monitoring border areas following intensified government measures against criminal networks. The crackdown has led to a decline in online crime reports, but authorities remain vigilant about the potential relocation of call center scam operations.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Trirong Piwpan, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), held a press conference to assess the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border. He stated that on February 12, the cyber police coordinated with the Director of the Thai-Myanmar Border Command Center to receive 260 foreign nationals at Phop Phra district, Tak province. These individuals, primarily from Ethiopia, Kenya, and China, had been working for call center gangs. While most claimed to have joined voluntarily, one person alleged they had been trafficked.
On February 14, the Border Guard Force (BGF) raided the Ya Tai complex in Shwe Kokko, Myanmar, rescuing 2,000 victims from call center scams. The victims are being repatriated through Mae Sot district, Tak province, where authorities will investigate their involvement in specific scam operations, identify targeted countries, and determine if Thai citizens were among the victims. If any suspects are found to have committed crimes under Thai law with a minimum sentence of four years and were part of a group of at least three individuals, they could be charged under Thailand’s transnational crime laws. Information on other cases will be shared with relevant countries for further investigation.
Cyber police continue operations to prevent human trafficking and illegal border crossings linked to call center scams. Authorities are working with neighboring countries to dismantle criminal networks and are monitoring the potential relocation of scam operations from western to eastern border regions.
The crackdown has already shown positive results, with a significant drop in online crime reports. In 2023, there were around 1,200 reported cases per day, but in January 2024, this number fell to 1,100. Following recent enforcement efforts, daily reports have further decreased to just over 800 cases, indicating a promising trend in combating online scams. Authorities remain on high alert as the investigation continues. (TNA)
