CEBU CITY – The Philippines and Thailand discussed regional issues, particularly on transnational crimes such as online scams, during a bilateral meeting in Cebu City on Wednesday.
According to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, she had a “productive meeting” with her Thai counterpart and exchanged “candid views” on various regional issues.
“I had a productive meeting with FM Sihasak Phuangketkeow, at the ASEAN FM Retreat where we exchanged candid views on the situation in Myanmar and the Cambodia-Thailand border, as well as on other regional issues particularly online scams and other transnational organized crimes,” Lazaro posted on X.
Online scams in Southeast Asia have developed into a massive, industrial-scale, transnational criminal enterprise, generating billions of dollars annually.
Scam hubs began popping up in heavily-guarded compounds in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines, believed to be linked to organized crimes, corruption and human trafficking.
According to the DFA, there are an undetermined number of Filipinos illegally recruited and trapped in various scam farms across the region.
They were promised legal, high-paying jobs, but eventually end up working for online scams in Southeast Asia.
Meanwhile, Lazaro and Phuangketkeow underscored ASEAN’s role in “maintaining peace and stability in the region."
