Thai Crackdown on Border Call Center Scams Yields Results
"Strategic measures dubbed as '3 Cuts' prove effective in combating call centre fraudulent activities"
Thailand's aggressive strategy to snuff out call center scams based in Myanmar is making headway, with three months of action showing promising results. Dubbed the "3 Cuts" strategy, the plan has aimed to sever the lifeline of these online criminal networks by slashing electricity, internet access, and fuel supplies in targeted border towns.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced on Thursday that the strategy, which has been active since February 5 in areas such as Mae Sai in Chiang Rai and Mae Sot in Tak, has resulted in a significant drop in call center activities along the key border zones.
The specific locations affected by the cuts include Second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge and Ban Huay Muang in Myawaddy, the Three Pagodas Bridge in Payathongzu, Ban Mueang Daeng, and the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Tachileik, Shan State.
Phumtham added that the measures have throttled the infrastructure that sustained these illicit networks, creating enough pressure to force many scam operations to relocate or shut down entirely. Authorities plan to conduct a full assessment of the policy's impact in June, but Phumtham revealed that while some displacement of scam operations to other regions has occurred, overall criminal activity has decreased.
Thailand also included a "Seal, Stop, Save" campaign as part of this strategy, a broader mission aimed at curbing human trafficking and drug trafficking along the borders. Officials shared that arrests and prosecutions have risen by around 60% compared to previous periods, according to Phumtham.
However, Phumtham admitted that enforcing the "3 Cuts" strategy in neighboring countries, especially Cambodia and Laos, remains an uphill battle as authorities must strike a delicate balance between enforcement and preserving legal cross-border trade. Some border traders have raised concerns about the impact on exports, but Phumtham stressed that formal trade routes remain open, with only selected goods likely to support scam activities being restricted.
Repatriating victims, particularly those from Africa, Latin America, and Ethiopia, continues to present challenges due to coordination with their home countries. To aid in this effort, Thailand is collaborating with NGOs to assist the vulnerable groups. In a positive development, the Ethiopian government recently repatriated the first group of 282 call center workers operating illegally in Myanmar, with the remaining 469 expected to return shortly.
This international cooperation strengthens global resolve to tackle the roots of human trafficking and cybercrime, Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said, following high-level discussions with Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos at a recent BRICS meeting in Brazil. One month after the implementation of power and internet signal cuts, cybercrime reports fell 20%.
[2]: https://www. Channelnewsasia.com/world/thailand-cracks-down-illegal-call-centers-jailed-more-than-800-2023-03-16/
politico.asia/photos/2023/03/16/myanmar-thailand-calls-center-scam-146183583
- The "3 Cuts" strategy, implemented in Myanmar to disrupt call center scams, has yielded significant results, with a drop in call center activities observed in key border zones such as Mae Sai and Mae Sot.
- Thailand's policy-and-legislation efforts, including the targeted disruption of electricity, internet access, and fuel supplies, have put enough pressure on these illicit networks to force many scam operations to relocate or shut down.
- Beyond the "3 Cuts" strategy, Thailand has added a "Seal, Stop, Save" campaign to its initiatives, aiming to curb not only call center scams but also human trafficking and drug trafficking along the borders.
- Crime-and-justice reports show a 20% decrease in cybercrime one month after the implementation of power and internet signal cuts, indicating the need for continued international cooperation to tackle the roots of human trafficking and cybercrime, as demonstrated by recent BRICS meetings.
