"Laos’ highest court aims for special court in lawless Golden Triangle" 12 March 2024

Laos’ highest court is working to set up a special court in the notorious Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone to directly clamp down on an area that has attracted scam-related businesses and human trafficking...

The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, or SEZ, was established in 2007 in the northern province of Bokeo...It’s become a gambling and tourism hub catering to Chinese citizens where investors – exempt from most national-level economic regulations – have built hotels, restaurants, casinos, a hospital, markets and factories.

But it has also earned a reputation as a haven for criminal activities, including prostitution and drug trafficking...

Lao authorities currently do not have the right to enter special economic zones to conduct investigations...

The special court would be directly overseen by the People’s Supreme Court...A former Lao government official told RFA that the special court could speed up criminal cases...

But a resident of Bokeo province said a better approach would be to strengthen the current system of transferring criminal cases to the local People’s Court in Bokeo province...