BANGKOK – Amidst the tense situation on the Thai border with Myanmar and Cambodia, due to the Thai government’s crackdown on call-centre gangs, the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in the Bokeo province of Laos has seemingly taken the lead in claiming its own success in cracking down on call-centre gangs.

The zone is across the border from Chiang Saen district in Thailand’s Chiang Rai province.

Their efforts began in early January 2025 under a parallel collaboration between the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Protection Agency, representing the Laotian government, and the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Administrative Council, representing the Dong Ngiew Kham Group of Companies, a Chinese investor holding a 99-year concession from the Laos government.

Deputy Minister of Public Security General Khamking Phuylamaneewong, Laos Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Sathabandid Inseechiangmai, and Vice President of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Administration Council Gao Long attended the meeting to evaluate the progress in tackling call-centre gangs.

Laos police deputy chief Brig-General Wanton Surisak reported that over the past two years, strict enforcement of laws had helped prevent social impacts on the people of Laos. As a result, the problem of call-centre gangs had been significantly reduced.

In 2025, he said the policy would intensify law enforcement to close off opportunities for call-centre gangs to operate.

“Nation TV” conducted an on-site survey of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, which has an investment value of over US$3 billion, and found that the casino at the Dok Ngiew Kham Hotel continued to operate as usual, although the number of customers had decreased.

Large-scale construction is ongoing, including residential buildings, a 300-bed hospital, an eight-lane road, the Golden Triangle International Border Crossing, and the Bokeo Airport, which is capable of handling more than 2 million passengers annually. The school system has also expanded to include education up to the secondary level.

When Nation TV compared the area to its 2023 visit, it became clear that the atmosphere now was quieter. Many restaurants, pubs, bars, and hotels have closed, and some large buildings have been abandoned.

Locals confirmed that a part of this decline stemmed from the crackdown on call-centre gangs by the Laos, Chinese and Vietnamese police forces. Additionally, all key areas now display 24-hour hotline numbers, and the Laos government has deployed officials to ensure public safety.

Although the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone has been promoted as a model for special economic zones in Laos, with continuous visits from government officials and even the Lao leadership, the shadow of influential casino figure “Zhao Wei” remains unavoidable. The global community still questions whether the area is truly a “white city” or a “grey area”. Zhao Wei had previously told Nation TV that he was confident the city was a safe tourist destination, not a grey area, and it would be hard to explain it without first hand experience.

What stood out this year at the 22nd Cotton Tree Blossom Festival, a symbol of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone’s grandeur, was the absence of Zhao Wei, the president of the Special Economic Zone Council, who has remained out of the spotlight for several months. Instead, vice president Gao Long stepped in to represent the zone at key events.

He stated on stage that over the past 18 years, the city had developed according to the established plans and would continue to advance in line with the Belt and Road Initiative, under the strong relationship between Laos and China.

However, the image that provided a clear answer to the future direction of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone was the appearance of General Vilay Lakhamphong, Laos deputy prime minister and public security minister, who presided over the opening of the 22nd Cotton Tree Blossom Festival, accompanied by senior officials. Their presence was proof that the Laos government was committed to supporting the growth of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, now considered strategically advanced compared to other cities, with a complete transportation system both by air and water.

Although the spotlight is still on the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, on whether it is a “white” or “grey” area, what was conveyed through the art event—where military and political leaders of Laos walked arm-in-arm with the executives of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone Council—was the opening of the second Golden Triangle Art Exhibition. The exhibition told the story of “peace” through paintings, aimed at sending a message to outsiders about the city’s future development approach.

In the Thai government’s operation to crack down on call-centre gangs, although the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone has often been mentioned in connection with these activities, it appears that both Laos and Chinese governments are working together seriously to clean up the area, though not yet completely.

Today it has become one of the key strategic areas for both countries, firmly established in terms of both economic systems and security systems. The phrase “The dragon rises in the Mekong River basin” may well be a reality.

Asia News Network/The Nation