The government will use the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) meeting this week to seek cooperation from neighbouring countries to address the problem of call centre scam gangs.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he had instructed Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa to raise the issue with participating countries and explore effective strategies for dealing with cross-border crime, including tackling call centre scams. The 9th MLC meeting is scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Chiang Mai.
Mr Maris stressed that regional cooperation is crucial to solving transnational crime, which includes the narcotics trade, human trafficking and fraud. He said the governments of Laos, China and India have placed importance on transnational crime and agreed to enhance cooperation to address these issues.
He added that Thailand is ready to propose and advance this agenda via the MLC framework while extending gratitude to Laos, which has stepped up crackdowns on call centre scams in its part of the Golden Triangle area.
At the 9th MLC meeting, Mr Srettha will deliver a keynote speech "Towards Safer and Cleaner Mekong Lancang" on Friday, a source said.
A joint press conference will be held after the MLC foreign affairs ministers meeting by Mr Maris and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, according to the source.
The MLC framework comprises six countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and China. Initiated by Thailand in 2012, it aims to strengthen cooperation in the Mekong region with a focus on sustainable development, reducing disparities and advancing Asean collaboration.