Anutin declares war on online scammers, 15 agencies join forces
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the signing of an MOU by 15 ministries and agencies to launch a coordinated national war on online scammers.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Thursday formally declared war on online scammers as he chaired the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) among six ministries and nine government and private-sector agencies to jointly combat cybercrime.
Anutin presided over the signing ceremony at Government House at 11am and vowed that the government “cannot afford to lose this war”.
Five-pronged strategy against scammers
In his speech, Anutin said the MOU aims to advance proactive operations in five key areas:
- Strict law enforcement — taking decisive action against both offenders and those supporting them behind the scenes.
- Integrated coordination system — linking intelligence and investigation data for seamless collaboration.
- Immediate asset seizure and freezing — cutting off financial channels to prevent criminals from using Thailand as a money-laundering base.
- Use of advanced technology and AI — tracking money trails and criminal behaviour to intercept crimes before they occur.
- Public awareness and vigilance — strengthening citizens’ resilience through education and encouraging tip-offs so that all Thais can act as the eyes and ears of “Team Thailand” in this national effort.
National mission to protect citizens
Anutin described the signing of the MOU by the 14 key agencies as a milestone in Thailand’s fight against online scammers.
“We must win this war to protect the people from scammers who have been undermining the country every day,” he said.
“When one person falls victim to a scammer, the whole family suffers — many face hardship and severe stress.”
He added that online scammers also damage Thailand’s potential, reputation, and image, undermining confidence in trade and investment.
“Cybercrime damages are so serious they cannot be quantified. Online scammers are among the top national threats,” Anutin warned.
Systematic and sustained crackdown
He said the MOU would serve as a weapon for conducting a systematic war against online scams, adding that the effort would become a national agenda and a joint mission of the entire country.
Anutin pledged that his government would support the fight with adequate funding for technology investment and strong policy backing to ensure tangible and sustainable results.
“Our goal is for Thailand to be safe from scammers and become a prohibited land for all kinds of criminals,” he said.
15 agencies sign MOU
The MOU was signed by representatives from the following agencies:
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Ministry of Digital Economy and Society
- Ministry of Commerce
- Ministry of Interior
- Ministry of Justice
- Royal Thai Police
- Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO)
- Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC)
- Department of Special Investigation (DSI)
- Bank of Thailand
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)
- Thai Bankers’ Association
- Association of State Financial Institutions
Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat had said on Wednesday that the MOU would be signed by five ministries and nine agencies. However, he did not mention the Commerce Ministry, whose representative later joined the ceremony on Thursday.
