Bangkok: The secretary of the House Speaker has urged the government to take serious action against the growing issue of call center gangs, highlighting that Thailand is increasingly perceived as a hub of criminal activity. He noted that numerous countries have sought assistance from the House Speaker and expressed concerns about Thai officials allegedly being involved in kidnappings.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Muk Sulaiman, Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, addressed the issue of the call center gangs, revealing that several nations have reached out and provided information to the Speaker of the House. This is due to incidents involving their citizens who, after traveling to Thailand, were kidnapped in Myanmar with suspicions of Thai officials' involvement. Countries like Kenya have reported cases where kidnapped individuals were forced into labor through physical assault. The situation has tarnished Thailand's image internationally, likening it to China, where more than 100 tourists have reportedly been kidnapped, prompting Chinese media to warn their citizens, leading to a significant drop in tourism.
Mr. Sulaiman stressed the urgency for the Thai government to take decisive action to resolve the issue, restore international confidence, and rejuvenate the tourism sector. He suggested measures such as threatening to cut electricity sales to Myanmar unless they address the matter, as a lack of electricity would impede such criminal operations, forcing them to cease.