The bustling heart of Southeast Asia, Thailand, is making headlines as it gears up to join forces with its neighbouring countries, Cambodia and Vietnam. Their mission? To launch a vigorous battle against the twin problems of call centre scam rackets and the proliferation of fake news, both of which have become a cause of increasing concern regionally. The wheels of this initiative were set in motion by Puangpet Chunlaiad, a member of the Thai prime minister’s inner circle.
Chunlaiad had engaging dialogues on her recent diplomatic tour to Vietnam with her Cambodian and Vietnamese peers, illuminating the severity and urgency of these issues. Her conversational exchange with the Cambodian Minister of Information, Neth Pheaktra, centred around devising a cohesive and effective strategy to counter call centre scam operations. A significant motivation for these talks is the rising number of Thai citizens who have been victims of such scams, often resulting in heavy monetary losses and, in the direst of instances, costing lives.
Stressing on the critical importance of a united front, Chunlaiad proposed Thailand and Cambodia redouble their prevention efforts and strengthen their bilateral cooperation. The primary objectives would be to raise public consciousness about such scams, and shore up border security to prevent illegal crossings. Further collaboration between the two Southeast Asian nations is seemingly in the pipeline, as reported by the Bangkok Post.
Continuing her diplomatic venture, Chunlaiad met with Nguyen Manh Hung, the Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications. The aim was to learn from Vietnam’s measures to contain and counteract the spread of fake news. This meeting was an integral part of the 16th ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) and the 7th AMRI Plus Three conference, held at the dynamic city of Danang in Vietnam.
The Thai minister heralded Vietnam’s move of setting up a committee dedicated to curbing fake news on social platforms. She reinforced the necessity of propagating shared information among ASEAN nations in this relentless fight against falsehoods. The crusade against fake news was a crucial discussion topic in the AMRI meeting, wherein Thailand endorsed the Guidelines on Management of Government Information in Combatting Fake News and Disinformation in the Media. A consensus was reached between Puangpet and Hung, emphasizing the indispensable role of journalistic ethics in preserving the veracity of news.
In related news from a fortnight ago, four Thai nationals were apprehended in Cambodia, being implicated in running a call centre scam racket. The operations of the scam were orchestrated by Supol Wongwian, while three young women, Nisarat Sukasem, Kanokporn Kraisuk, and Kornkanok Singthit were involved in making calls to their potential victims. For the most current updates, keep an eye on The Thaiger’s brand-new Facebook page for more stories breaking across Thailand.
Be First to Comment