Lui Chiang Saen expedites crackdown on call center gangs

Police, NBTC office and security agencies went to Chiang Saen to urgently suppress call center gangs in various areas of Kings Roman. From the Prime Minister's order to suppress the call center gangs in neighboring countries, the Royal Thai Police has initiated the operation "Bombing the Bandit Bridge" to cut off the telecommunications signal that is being used illegally in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, the area surrounding the King's Roman Casino. Today (July 23, 2024), it is an ongoing operation. Pol. Gen. Kittirat Phanphet, Director of the Police Operations Center, assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabut, Deputy Director of the Police Operations Center, together with Pol. Gen. Natthorn Phueasunthon, Commissioner of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Mr. Suttisak Tantayothin, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (Deputy Secretary-General of the NBTC), and the security sector to inspect the illegal smuggli ng of telephone signal cables in the area to the King's Roman area, both from SIM cards, cables, poles, and to issue strict measures to pass through natural channels. To prevent groups of foreigners and Thais from illegally working in call center gangs in the area bordering the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone. Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai said that on July 18, 2024, the Royal Thai Police discussed with the NBTC and the three major mobile operators to resolve the problem of signal intrusion into neighboring countries and to ensure that mobile phone signals or internet signals that encroached into neighboring countries (Kings Roman, Lao PDR) on the opposite side of Chiang Saen District, Chiang Rai Province, in all dimensions, so they went to the area with relevant agencies to proceed according to the plan, including using special tools to check the distribution of mobile phone signals and internet signals along the nearby border and assigned local agencies to monitor and follow up on the illegal installation of signal towers in order to eradicate the call center gang in this target area. Pol. Gen. Natthatorn said that from the latest proactive inspection, it was found that there were mobile phone signals and high-speed internet signals of Thailand in use in neighboring countries, especially in the area opposite Chiang Saen District (Kings Roman Laos). There is information that it is believed that this area is a large nest of call center gangs that make cross-border calls to deceive Thais. Therefore, we went to the area to integrate with relevant agencies and telecommunication operators of all networks. We used special equipment installed on drones to scan along the border of Chiang Saen District to cut off all aspects of cross-Mekong communication signals. In addition, we worked with the Pha Muang Task Force to cut and destroy the fiber optic cables that send internet signals to the call center gangs in neighboring countries in Mae Chan District, Chiang Rai Province. The measures to cut off important factors of the call center gangs, including SIM cards, poles, and cables, which the NBTC office and the Royal Thai Police have continued from last year. They have suspended the use of ghost SIM cards that did not verify themselves according to the NBTC announcement, more than 2 million numbers. It is believed that most of the suspended SIM cards are in the possession of criminals. In addition, in the past half year, the NBTC office and the Royal Thai Police have arrested those who illegally installed poles and cables. Illegal signal transmission along the border to neighboring countries benefited 33 call center gangs. As for operators licensed by the NBTC but violated the terms of service, they were warned and ordered to suspend telecommunication signal transmission and remove signal cables and equipment (knock down poles) at 179 points. The operation has been carried out in 11 districts, 9 provinces that border neighboring countries, namely Tak, Chiang Rai, Mukdahan, Nong Khai, Surin, Buriram, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and Ranong. The NBTC continues to inspect cross-border signal distribution. Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai added that the results of the integration between the police, NBTC, and security agencies in eliminating ghost SIMs, mule accounts, knocking down illegal signal poles and cables, and searching and seizing illegal telecommunication equipment are destroying an important factor of the call center gang, which has tangible results. This can be seen from the continuous flow of illegal satellite communication equipment (Starlink) into Thailand to neighboring countries. To replace the original telecommunications infrastructure (SIM, poles, cables), it is expected that the perpetrators have been affected and have started to adapt. The Royal Thai Police and the NBTC will continue to monitor and enforce the law. Source: Thai News Agency