Bangkok: Expanding Thai-U.S. cooperation to crack down on call centers and human trafficking, aiming for Thailand's Tier 1 ranking in human trafficking prevention.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, highlighted Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's commitment to addressing transnational organized crime networks as a national priority. A significant development in these efforts is the seizure and freezing of assets worth over 20 billion baht from Ben Smith-Yim Liak and his associates. Investigations are ongoing into other groups using Thailand for money laundering activities.
Authorities recently dismantled a large call center network along the Thai-Cambodian border, discovering over 10,000 forced laborers of various nationalities involved in romance scams and investment fraud. The Prime Minister underscored the importance of tackling call center gangs and human trafficking networks, ensuring Thailand does not become a transit hub for such criminal organizations.
Talks between Thailand and the United States were held in Washington, D.C., from April 21-25, involving Thai agencies led by Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabutr of the Royal Thai Police, alongside several ministries. They aim to enhance cooperation with U.S. agencies to effectively combat transnational call center gangs, human trafficking, and online crime. This collaboration will involve information exchange and detailed operational guidelines. Last year, American citizens lost over US$6 billion to these scams, equivalent to approximately 190 billion baht.
The government spokesperson expressed confidence that rigorous policy implementation could elevate Thailand from Tier 2 to Tier 1 in the human trafficking assessment, improving the nation's image and bolstering confidence in its economy, investment, and tourism. The Royal Thai Police plans to launch the "SHIELD" system in June 2026, a central hub for information exchange among more than 10 member countries, to enhance the prevention and suppression of call center gangs and human trafficking in the region.
Thailand's efforts have been praised by the United States, particularly for establishing the IAC Warroom, which coordinates with financial institutions and mobile phone providers to swiftly freeze accounts and recover assets for victims. Close collaboration with the FBI has also led to numerous arrests and asset seizures.