Thailand prevents foreigners' illegal border crossing

The 15 participating countries included Brazil, Tanzania, Russia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, India, Morocco, China, along with representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Thatchai, who is director of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Center and director of the Technology Crime Prevention and Suppression Center of the Royal Thai Police, said the meeting was held to engage countries whose citizens had been deceived into working for call-center scams in neighboring countries, often transiting through Thailand.

The objective was to enhance collaboration so that communication between countries becomes more efficient, allowing for 24/7 coordination.

In cases where nationals of any country are found traveling to high-risk areas, such as Mae Sot district, Tak province, whether by land or air, and lack a clear travel itinerary, border officials will be required to contact the respective embassy.

This measure ensures direct communication between the embassy and its citizens to prevent them from falling victim to call-center scam operations.

Foreign nationals entering Mae Sot will undergo questioning similar to international travelers arriving at airports, requiring them to provide clear details regarding their travel and tourism plans. The embassies expressed strong support for the plan, Thatchai said.

The meeting also discussed efforts to crack down on call-center scam operations, which are not only prevalent in Thailand’s neighboring countries but are a global issue.