Natthaphong urges Thailand to lead ASEAN efforts against scammers at upcoming summit

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s Party and the opposition, has called for Thailand to take the lead in combating cross-border scam networks at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 26-28, 2025.

Natthaphong highlighted that the scam and money-laundering problem is beyond Thailand’s internal mechanisms, with criminal networks and money flows crossing borders, thus requiring international cooperation. He praised Thailand’s recent success in pushing for the issue of scammers to be adopted as an Emergency Item at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, and the upcoming ASEAN Summit is an ideal opportunity to further address the issue.

"The ASEAN Summit is a golden opportunity for Thailand to use the international platform to combat this threat," Natthaphong stated.

He proposed that Thailand lead the charge at the ASEAN Summit by initiating concrete actions, including:

1. Proposing to host regional efforts against scammers, affecting citizens in multiple countries, with a Special Joint Taskforce that focuses on:

• Information sharing to trace funds, freeze assets, and prevent money laundering.
• Cooperation with Interpol and national police to expand criminal cases.
• Helping victims and families by coordinating with authorities in affected countries.

2. Besides working with ASEAN members, especially Singapore (which has prioritised anti-money laundering efforts), Thailand should also express its willingness to cooperate with the US, UK, South Korea, and China—countries with many victims of scams and ongoing investigations. Thailand could propose using the ICRG mechanism of FATF to monitor Cambodia's anti-money laundering measures.

3. Strengthening existing ASEAN mechanisms, such as the ASEAN Declaration on Combating Cybercrime and Online Scam and the ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crimes.

4. Thailand should commit to fighting transnational crime by aiming to ratify the UN Convention Against Cybercrime by 2024.

"If we succeed in positioning Thailand as the centre of ASEAN's efforts to combat scammers, it will not only protect Thai citizens but also elevate Thailand’s global standing and bargaining power," Natthaphong concluded.