PEOPLE’S Party leader Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut and deputy leader Mr. Rangsiman Rome were shown a now-blocked hole dug in the ground behind a department store at Aryanyathet district, Sa Kaeo province, believed to have been used to illegally cross over to Cambodia, Thai Rath newspaper said today (July 6).
Col. Methee Khamtem, commander of the 12th Ranger Regiment Control Unit, Burapha Task Force, told the two MPs that military intelligence had revealed that this point was used to illegally cross over to Cambodia particularly by those going to work for call centre scammers and gamblers.
While this area has been sealed there are still other illegal crossing points found every day.
Although this hole has been blocked it could be reopened with it being difficult for the military to control such crossings because they are within private property.
Ransiman asked about cutting the Internet signal and was told that after strict border control measures were imposed signal strength has been reduced and accessible by phone only on the Thai side.
Moreover barbed wire has been installed from Ban Klong Luek to Pa Rai subdistrict with there also being checkpoints. Aside from patrols, some of them together with Cambodian soldiers, the border is monitored by CCTV 24 hours a day.
Villagers also alert the military about movement of these criminal gangs.
Rangsiman, who is also chair of the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategies & Reforms, said a report on recommendations for solving the entire problem of call centre gangs was prepared and submitted to the government.
While some progress has been made on dismantling these gangs, the clampdown in Cambodia, where there is a lot of violence, is still not satisfactory.
Even though there are currently problems along the Thai-Cambodian border and many steps have been taken to suppress these gangs of scammers there are still attempts to cross over and join them, willingly or otherwise.
It has to be admitted that call centre gangs are growing substantially in Cambodia with the Immanuel Foundation revealing that these gangs are entrenched across the latitude and longitude of Cambodia, he said.
While Thai law is not up to par in cracking down on these gangsters, there are international legal mechanisms that could be used and the committee will discuss this, he added.
CAPTION:
People’s Party leader and deputy leader Nattapong Ruangpanyawut and Rangsiman Rome inspecting the closed hole behind a department store used to illegally cross over to Cambodia. Photos: Thai Rath
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