Chiang Rai: Three Thai citizens who were duped into working as call centre scammers in Laos' Bokeo province have been repatriated, officials said yesterday.
The victims, two women and a man, were handed over to Thai immigration officials at the border checkpoint in Ban Sop Ruak, opposite Laos' Ton Pheung district, they said.
They told police that they left the country last year after they were promised high-paying jobs at the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Upon arriving in Ton Pheung district, however, they found out the jobs did not exist.
Instead, they were forced to work at a call centre where they were told to get people to invest in bogus schemes.
After about a year, the trio managed to get in touch with Thai officials, who sought the cooperation of Lao authorities to rescue the victims.
Following their return, the victims were charged with violating immigration laws, the province's communicable disease rules, as well as the emergency decree.
According to local officials, over 100 Thai nationals have been rescued from similar situations in Laos since December last year.