Thailand has declared all-out war on scammers, with Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul launching the “United Thailand Against Scammers” campaign and framing it as both a national agenda and a defining mission of his administration.

At a press conference held at the Royal Thai Police Training and Welfare Centre in Bangkok, Prime Minister Anutin announced the creation of the National Committee on the Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crime, chaired by himself, to coordinate the fight against cybercriminals. He further emphasized that the government is shifting “from defense to offense,” promising that “Thailand stands as the strongest enemy of scammers,” adding that “there are no safe havens for them” in Thailand.

Fifteen key agencies – including the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO), the Bank of Thailand, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding to close financial loopholes and strengthen coordination. Together, these bodies have assembled a war room at the Royal Thai Police to track suspects, block fraudulent transactions, and recover victims’ funds.

Crackdowns, seizures, and the numbers behind the war

The results have been striking. Between October 27th and November 8th, authorities arrested 7,174 suspects tied to over 90 organized crime cases, 795 mule bank account networks, and 11 cases involving illegal communication systems.

The sweeping operation led to the shutdown of 26 major online gambling networks, blocking over 38,000 gambling URLs and some 8,800 illegal social media pages. Additionally, border measures prevented more than 200 Thais from joining scam syndicates abroad, while authorities seized assets worth over THB41.7 million (est. US$1.28 million) and returned THB31 million to victims.

According to AMLO, Thailand has frozen or seized over THB30 billion in criminal assets since 2024. In a separate operation, police dismantled the money-laundering network of former Cambodian senator Ly Yong Phat, confiscating THB400 million in assets and seizing cryptocurrency valued at THB14 million from foreign scammers.

Royal Thai Police Assistant Commissioner-General Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej noted that the battle extends far beyond Thailand’s borders. Global scam-related losses have surpassed US$1 trillion, with Asia accounting for nearly two-thirds. Thailand alone has logged over one million scam cases in three years, with daily losses reaching THB70 million.

Empowering citizens, safeguarding the digital economy

Beyond enforcement, the campaign also underscores public awareness. The Government Public Relations Department has launched a nationwide communications drive through television, social media, and 80,000 village broadcasting towers to promote digital safety.

The Prime Minister’s message to citizens is clear: “Don’t Believe, Don’t Rush, Don’t Transfer.” The government, he said, will protect whistleblowers and prosecute any officials or politicians implicated in scams, underscoring that there will be “no negotiations and no exemptions.”

With the United Thailand Against Scammers initiative, Thailand is signaling that cybercrime will be met with the full force of the state. From stricter SIM registration and mule account suspensions to regional coordination and digital literacy, the campaign marks a new phase in the Kingdom’s efforts to reclaim its digital space, as well as public trust.

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