Bangkok: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has directed the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to execute a decisive crackdown on scams and financial crime, acknowledging intense pressure and the risk of international sanctions otherwise.

According to Thai News Agency, the prime minister, who also serves as the Minister of Interior, presided over a policy inspection meeting at AMLO on Monday. During the meeting, AMLO Chairman Chatchai Promlert reported significant actions taken against financial crime, including the seizure and freezing of assets worth over 29 billion baht. Additionally, more than 800,000 “mule accounts” have been shut down, with over 3 billion baht pending return to victims.

Chatchai emphasized the immense pressure on AMLO regarding the handling of economic crime, particularly scams. He stressed the importance of creating confidence in suppressing wrongdoers who use Thailand as a base for money laundering, noting that failure to do so could impact international trust in the country. He warned that this could lead to negative consequences and damage to Thailand’s international reputation.