Bangkok: The "Youth Ambassadors Against Human Trafficking" project aims to combat scams through the power of the younger generation. Police General Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, has tasked Police General Thatchai Pitanilabutr, Deputy Commissioner General and Director of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Center, to lead this initiative. In collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Thailand and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the project seeks to dismantle call center scams by educating and empowering youth.
According to Thai News Agency, the initiative was launched with a special lecture at the 'Anti-Scam and Forced Criminality Youth Ambassador Program (MEDIA CAMP)' held at the Chaeng Yodsuk Room, Immigration Training Center, Royal Thai Police. Attendees included representatives from the U.S. Embassy and UNODC, highlighting the international cooperation in addressing the issue of human trafficking and call center scams. These crimes have evolved into complex operations where individuals are deceived into working abroad under false pretenses and pressured into criminal activities or unfair labor conditions.
The Anti-Trafficking Center of the Royal Thai Police, together with its international partners, organized this program from May 29-31, 2026. The aim is to educate and train youth to become leaders in public communication, preventing human trafficking and exploitation associated with call center scams. Police General Thatchai emphasized the importance of prevention, noting that informed citizens can significantly weaken these criminal networks by avoiding deception.
The program drew interest from over 1,400 young individuals aged 18-30 from Thailand and ASEAN countries, with only 60 selected to participate in the intensive three-day workshop. The curriculum covered awareness and empathy, skill development in media production, and campaign presentation to raise awareness and prevent human trafficking in the digital age.
The "Youth Ambassadors Against Human Trafficking" initiative represents a crucial step in the joint efforts of Thailand, the United States, and the United Nations. By empowering youth to become advocates and disseminators of vital information, the program aims to reduce victimization and disrupt the human trafficking networks linked to call center scams.
Police General Thatchai urged the public to be cautious of job offers that promise unusually high salaries from unreliable sources or that require opening multiple bank accounts. He encouraged reporting suspicious activities to the Anti-Human Trafficking Center of the Royal Thai Police and advised foreign nationals to verify the legitimacy of recruitment agencies before working in Thailand.
For further assistance or to report concerns, individuals can contact the Anti-Human Trafficking Center through their website. Foreign nationals should ensure they have the appropriate visas and work permits and be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. For more information, contact the Thai Embassy or Immigration Police directly.