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Friday, February 21, 2025
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Taiwan Lists Laos Among High-Risk Travel Destinations Due to Fraud Rings

This Week

Taiwan has categorized Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia as high-risk destinations due to their involvement in hosting fraudulent activities, according to the Taiwanese Ministry of Interior. 

The announcement, made on 7 February, follows a rise in scams, particularly fraudulent job offers and illegal call center operations, targeting Taiwanese nationals.

In response, Taiwanese authorities will now issue travel warnings for these countries. Taiwanese travelers will see these alerts on their airplane tickets, along with instructions to download a travel safety app, which has been available since 2022. 

The ministry’s statement emphasized that additional measures will be taken at airports, including heightened vigilance and coordination with airlines to ensure warnings are issued on electronic tickets.

The decision comes in light of several incidents in recent years, where Taiwanese individuals were lured to Cambodia and Myanmar under false pretenses to work for fraud rings. In response, the Taiwanese National Immigration Agency and the Aviation Police Bureau will intensify monitoring efforts at airports to prevent such scams and ensure that potential victims are intercepted before they can leave the country.

Despite the increasing concerns, these Southeast Asian nations continue to take action against fraud rings. 

On 12 February, Thai authorities rescued 260 foreign nationals from a scam center in Myanmar, including seven Taiwanese and six Lao nationals. 

These individuals were relocated to Chong Khaep village in Tak Province, Thailand, for screening and preparations for their repatriation. Thai officials, in cooperation with the Lao Embassy, ensured that the Lao nationals received proper care and support under the National Referral Mechanism.

In Laos, authorities have been proactive in tackling fraud operations, particularly within Special Economic Zones (SEZ). In early 2024, Lao police dismantled nine illegal call center operations, arresting 267 individuals from 16 countries. 

To further combat these rings, security in the SEZ will be enhanced through a joint effort between Lao authorities and the Chinese investors managing the zone.

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