Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra received a scam call from someone impersonating another world leader, using what sounded like the leader’s voice. The caller initially expressed interest in working together, but later asked for a donation and requested money be transferred to a foreign bank account. This led Paetongtarn to realize the call was not real, highlighting the prevalence of telecom and online fraud in Southeast Asia, particularly in border towns connecting Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar.
Hundreds of thousands of people are trafficked into online criminal operations in the region, with targets from Southeast Asia, South Asia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Africa, and Latin America, falling victim to scams like fake investments or romantic relationships. Americans alone lost billions to Southeast Asian scammers in 2023. A recent case involved a Chinese actor who was found near the Thai-Myanmar border after being lured into a scam operation.
Paetongtarn emphasized the need for regional cooperation to combat online scams, as they pose a significant threat to the public and could impact Thailand’s tourism industry. Chinese and Thai authorities recently arrested 12 suspects linked to scam operations, following the case of the missing Chinese actor. The prime minister’s remarks at the ASEAN digital ministers meeting underscore the importance of tackling fraud to safeguard the public and maintain the country’s tourism appeal.
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