The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement confirming Thailand’s readiness to cooperate with the United States in efforts to dismantle transnational online scam networks operating across Southeast Asia.
The ministry said in its official statement on Thursday that it welcomed the US announcement on Oct 14 regarding new measures to combat online scam networks in the region.
These efforts align with Thailand’s ongoing commitment to work with international partners to suppress transnational crime and bring perpetrators to justice, according to the ministry.
The statement highlighted the serious threat posed by online scams and scam call centres, which have harmed citizens across the region and are often linked to other grave transnational crimes such as human trafficking, forced labour and money laundering.
The ministry reaffirmed Thailand’s strong determination to eliminate online scams and pledged to strengthen cooperation with the US as part of a longstanding security partnership.
The country also expressed its intent to work closely with other partner nations and relevant international organisations to effectively address this growing threat.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow on Thursday said that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s official visit to Laos included discussions on regional security cooperation, particularly targeting call centre syndicates and scammers. Mr Sihasak spoke during his visit to Laos with Mr Anutin to mark the 75th anniversary of Thailand-Laos relations.
The minister emphasised the urgency of tackling these criminal operations, which have far-reaching impacts both within and beyond the region and underscored the importance of close collaboration with neighbouring countries.
Mr Sihasak said that addressing this issue requires cooperation not only with regional partners such as China, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia but also with countries outside the region, including the US and South Korea, which have also been affected.
This matter will be further discussed at upcoming international forums, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit later this month, he added.