Mickey Bristow

Well, Hong Kong has decided to send a range of officials to Thailand to meet Thai immigration, judicial officials, police officers, in order to try and track down about two dozen or so cases in which Hong Kong residents

Well, Hong Kong has decided to send a range of officials to Thailand to meet Thai immigration, judicial officials, police officers, in order to try and track down about two dozen or so cases in which Hong Kong residents

have simply disappeared when going to Thailand, and it's suspected that they've been taken by criminal gangs up to the borderlands with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, and they're employed somehow there in online scams, telephone scams, which have really proliferated over recent years. Now, this is about Hong Kong, but...

have simply disappeared when going to Thailand, and it's suspected that they've been taken by criminal gangs up to the borderlands with Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, and they're employed somehow there in online scams, telephone scams, which have really proliferated over recent years. Now, this is about Hong Kong, but...

All over China particularly and other countries have reported that a lot of their citizens are disappearing through Thailand to these unknown border areas where they're getting lured to these areas in order to take part in these scams. So it's more than Hong Kong. Why is it such a big problem now? Well, it's been a big problem for some time and for several years, really.

All over China particularly and other countries have reported that a lot of their citizens are disappearing through Thailand to these unknown border areas where they're getting lured to these areas in order to take part in these scams. So it's more than Hong Kong. Why is it such a big problem now? Well, it's been a big problem for some time and for several years, really.

Lots of countries have been warning about it, but now it's a particular problem because essentially of the disintegration of law and order in Myanmar, where there's essentially a civil war going on, the government there occupies, the BBC did a survey a few months ago, found out that the government there only occupies about a quarter of the land.

Lots of countries have been warning about it, but now it's a particular problem because essentially of the disintegration of law and order in Myanmar, where there's essentially a civil war going on, the government there occupies, the BBC did a survey a few months ago, found out that the government there only occupies about a quarter of the land.

The rest is controlled by ethnic groups, pro-democracy groups. This lawlessness has allowed mainly Chinese gangs to move in and set up these scam centres, not just scam centres, but also... Drug centres as well. So the production of drugs has increased in Myanmar over recent years since the lawlessness began. The UN worked out last year that Myanmar was now the biggest supplier of opium.

The rest is controlled by ethnic groups, pro-democracy groups. This lawlessness has allowed mainly Chinese gangs to move in and set up these scam centres, not just scam centres, but also... Drug centres as well. So the production of drugs has increased in Myanmar over recent years since the lawlessness began. The UN worked out last year that Myanmar was now the biggest supplier of opium.

So all kinds of criminal activity, including scam centres, is taking place in these border areas.

So all kinds of criminal activity, including scam centres, is taking place in these border areas.

Been a warning for the UN about this. Been a warning from lots of embassies. Just yesterday, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok issued a warning, essentially saying to people, if you get offered a job and it seems too good to be true, the pay is high, it doesn't require a lot of qualifications, then just ignore it. It's probably too good to be true. It probably doesn't exist.

Been a warning for the UN about this. Been a warning from lots of embassies. Just yesterday, the Chinese embassy in Bangkok issued a warning, essentially saying to people, if you get offered a job and it seems too good to be true, the pay is high, it doesn't require a lot of qualifications, then just ignore it. It's probably too good to be true. It probably doesn't exist.

And indeed, there was an interesting case which came to light just last week of a Chinese actor who'd... thought he was going to Thailand in order to take part in some kind of film. He got to Thailand, ended up being whisked away in a car to Myanmar, head shaved, movements restricted, involved in this online scam operations.

And indeed, there was an interesting case which came to light just last week of a Chinese actor who'd... thought he was going to Thailand in order to take part in some kind of film. He got to Thailand, ended up being whisked away in a car to Myanmar, head shaved, movements restricted, involved in this online scam operations.

Eventually there was an outcry about his disappearance and he was found and he's returned home. But that's just the kind of thing which is going on. Mickey Bristow.

Eventually there was an outcry about his disappearance and he was found and he's returned home. But that's just the kind of thing which is going on. Mickey Bristow.

The U.S. State Department said Mr. Blinken would look at ways to strengthen America's relationship with its two East Asian allies, South Korea and Japan. He said that while in Seoul, he'd meet senior government officials without saying who. It's not clear who Mr. Blinken should meet. The president, Yoon Suk-yool, and his replacement were both impeached.

The U.S. State Department said Mr. Blinken would look at ways to strengthen America's relationship with its two East Asian allies, South Korea and Japan. He said that while in Seoul, he'd meet senior government officials without saying who. It's not clear who Mr. Blinken should meet. The president, Yoon Suk-yool, and his replacement were both impeached.