Hanoi: Mr. Maris Sengiampong, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts among Mekong River Basin countries to combat the prevalent scammer problem. This stance was highlighted during his bilateral discussions with Mr. Sun Weidong, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, amidst his official visit to Vietnam for the ASEAN Future Forum (AFF 2025).
According to Thai News Agency, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong commended Mr. Maris for his proactive approach, particularly in engaging Myanmar to address the call center issues. Sun highlighted that this initiative sends a positive signal and aligns with China's commitment to combat cross-border crimes, including scams and call centers. He stressed the importance of continued cooperation to effectively eliminate these transnational crimes and prevent their recurrence.
The discussions underscored the significance of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Framework (MLC), which serves as a vital platform for dialogue among affected countries, including Thailand, China, and Myanmar. China is set to host a meeting under this framework later in the year to assess progress and further collaborative efforts.
Additionally, Mr. Maris engaged in discussions with Mr. Prak Sokhon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia, to prepare for the upcoming visit of Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, to Cambodia. During these discussions, Mr. Maris reiterated the importance of Mekong countries uniting to address critical issues such as human trafficking, cross-border crimes, scammers, call centers, and drug problems along their borders.