BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s Royal Thai Police, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), launched a youth ambassador program on Friday to combat human trafficking linked to regional call-center scams. The three-day initiative brings together 60 selected participants aged 18 to 30 from Thailand and Southeast Asia to train them in public communication and media creation to raise awareness against fraudulent job offers.
This program marks a significant step in the cooperation between Thailand, the United States, and the United Nations to build a youth network. The initiative aims to empower participants to act as “spokespersons” who will pass on knowledge and build immunity within their families, communities, and society, ultimately disrupting the trafficking cycle. “Awareness is the most powerful weapon in the fight against human trafficking and call-center scams,” Deputy Police Chief Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot said, emphasizing the need to build public immunity to disrupt the supply of victims to criminal networks.
Call-center syndicates and online crime rings in Southeast Asia have increasingly evolved to exploit individuals by luring them abroad with high-paying job offers, only to force them into scam operations or labor under harsh conditions. Authorities advised job seekers to remain cautious of red flags, including unusually high compensation, unverified employers, and requests to open multiple bank accounts before travel. (TNA)
