Vietnam focuses on protecting citizens at Myanmar-Thailand border

THE HANOI TIMES — Vietnam's Embassy in Myanmar has urged local authorities to ensure the safety of Vietnamese citizens who have been detained for violating immigration regulations.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at a regular press briefing on March 20, citing the Vietnamese Embassy in Myanmar. 

According to Hang, this follows operations to dismantle online scam hubs in Myawaddy, an area near the Myanmar-Thailand border. 

"The ministry is working closely with domestic agencies to identify those detained", she said. "It has also instructed Vietnam’s diplomatic missions in Myanmar and Thailand to coordinate with local authorities to implement protective measures and assist in repatriating the affected citizens.

On February 27, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Vietnamese nationals were among the 7,000 foreigners rescued from scam gangs in Myanmar in late February.

Online scam networks often lure victims worldwide with promises of high-paying jobs only to hold them hostage and force them into fraudulent activities under threat of harsh punishment. The border region between Thailand and Myanmar has become a hotspot for such crimes.

In response, the Thai government has ramped up efforts to combat these scam centers, labeling them a “national security issue”. Thailand recently cut electricity to certain border areas near Myanmar suspected of harboring these criminal operations.