Authorities in Bokeo Province will establish a special task force to crack down on illegal activities within the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (SEZ), beginning on 25 August.
This task force will have the authority to arrest business operators who continue to run unauthorized call centers. Those found in violation will face thorough investigation and prosecution, according to Vanthone Soulisack, Deputy Director General of the General Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security, who spoke at a meeting held in the SEZ on 9 August.
The meeting, chaired by Bokeo Governor Thongchanh Manixay and Zhao Wei, Chairman of both the Zone’s Administration Board and the Dok Ngiew Kham Group, focused on the rampant telecom fraud that has emerged within the SEZ and discussed the growing issue of fraudulent telecom operations.
Governor Thongchanh emphasized that the governments of Laos and China, in cooperation with the Golden Triangle SEZ’s governing committee, have actively been dismantling these illegal operations. To date, 240 unauthorized call centers have been shut down, as reported by Lao state media.
The crackdown is part of broader efforts to enforce compliance with Lao laws and international regulations, with the Ministry of Public Security playing a central role in monitoring and controlling online activities within the Zone. Currently, only 15 companies are legally permitted by the Lao Cyber Management Company to operate online gaming in Bokeo’s Golden Triangle SEZ. They operate under strict regulation, according to the Lao authorities.
The meeting also highlighted the need for the Dok Ngiew Kham Group to work closely with Lao authorities to tackle other illegal activities within the Zone, including unauthorized entry and exit, harboring fugitives, the use of illegal vehicles, and other forms of crime.
Despite the continuous domestic effort, the Bokeo SEZ remains a hot hub for illicit activities, especially drug trafficking.
In an interview published on the United Nations’ website in June 2023, Jeremy Douglas, the Regional Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Southeast Asia and the Pacific claimed that even with the combined effort of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, the three countries in which the zone spanned to, the disruption only shifted the trafficking routes.
According to the expert, the primary challenge that makes it difficult to tackle the rapid emergence of drug traffickers and scammers in the area is due to the business-friendly environment and minimal oversight in the zone and law enforcement. He also added that some SEZ governments even allow self-policing with private security, which prevents the authorities from fully enforcing the law.
The latest decision to intensify efforts against illicit activities comes after several crackdowns in the province. The most recent case occurred on 8 August when the Indian Embassy managed to rescue 14 Indian nationals from the SEZ, bringing the total number of rescues to 549. Many of these individuals were trafficked to Laos from Thailand after being lured by scammers with promises of high-paying jobs.
In another case on 2 August, both Lao and Vietnamese authorities joined forces to arrest 154 Vietnamese nationals suspected of operating a call center fraud ring targeting Vietnamese citizens online in the SEZ. The suspects were sent back to Vietnam the following day.
Established in Laos in 2007, the Special Economic Zone has attracted a range of businesses, from casinos and hotels to entertainment facilities. However, it has also become a hotspot for illicit activities, including call center scams, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
