Taiwan has named Thailand as one of five Southeast Asian destinations where their citizens are at risk of falling victim to online scammers. The other four countries are Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.
According to Taiwan News, the Ministry of Interior of Taiwan has sought cooperation from all airlines, by printing a warning on their electronic air tickets about the five high risk destinations and recommending that their passengers download an application offering safe travel tips.
The Interior Ministry also referred to reports of some Taiwanese being duped into working in call centres Myanmar and Cambodia and that seven Taiwanese nationals were among 260 foreigners transferred to Thailand from Myanmar last week.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj-Gen Atthasit Sudsa-nguan, deputy commissioner of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau, said many of those from African countries, transferred to Thailand from Myanmar, claim that they were drugged when they were smuggled across the porous border, from Mae Sot district in Tak province into Myawaddy township, and forced to work in scam call centres.
He told the media that many of the people transferred to Mae Sot from Myawaddy last week have entered the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), to determine whether they were actual victims of human trafficking or went to Myanmar to work as scammers willingly.
He also said that he doubts the claims, made by some of the people from African countries, that they were drugged after arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok before being driven to Mae Sot, and then smuggled across the border by human traffickers.
He noted that it is impossible for a sedative to last for the 9-hour journey from Bangkok to Mae Sot, adding that such false statements are an attempt to avoid any legal action, which could be taken if it could be proved that they went to work in Myanmar willingly.
Meanwhile the Thailand Trade and Economic Office emphasized that the safety of 35 million foreign tourists is of vital importance to the government, which has implemented measures to cut electricity and fuel supplies to Myanmar's border towns to crack down on scam centers.
The office will provide timely and efficient support to Taiwanese citizens concerned about safety in Thailand, suggesting they seek more information before traveling.
