Bangkok: Thailand, in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), is hosting an international conference aimed at forging global partnerships to combat cybercrime and fraud, with participation from 58 countries. Prime Minister Sihasak Srimuang highlighted Thailand’s dedication to tackling these issues and announced plans for a joint statement in Bangkok. He stressed that no single nation can address cybercrime alone, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to effectively dismantle criminal networks. Additionally, Prime Minister Sihasak mentioned Thailand’s successful repatriation of over 10,000 individuals involved in call center scams from neighboring countries. Notably, Cambodia did not send a representative to the conference.
According to Thai News Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in conjunction with UNODC, is organizing the International Conference on Global Partnership to Combat Internet Fraud (IC-GPOS) on December 17-18, 2025, at the InterContinental Hotel, Bangkok. This significant event witnessed the attendance of 338 participants from 58 countries, the European Union, five international organizations, civil society, and academia. Despite the widespread international representation, Cambodia’s absence was notable.
The conference featured ministerial-level representatives from seven nations, including Rwanda, Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and China. Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkaew, who presided over the opening, remarked on the emergence of new forms of crime in the digital age. He highlighted Thailand’s efforts in repatriating over 10,000 individuals from more than 40 countries, rescued from call center operations, underscoring the necessity of international cooperation.
Minister Sihasak emphasized that coordinated and swift action is crucial to assist and protect victims, differentiate between victims and perpetrators, and dismantle criminal networks. He noted Thailand’s recent domestic measures, including the seizure of assets related to online fraud, amounting to nearly US$300 million. Collaborative efforts with the private sector and civil society are also underway to strengthen preventive measures and raise public awareness on a global scale.
Thailand is committed to the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime and aims to foster a global partnership to combat online fraud. Minister Sihasak stressed the importance of a platform for combined efforts, intelligence sharing, and coordinated joint operations to effectively tackle large criminal networks.
The conference aims to complement existing efforts and focus on concrete actions, providing a mechanism for diverse stakeholders to exchange knowledge and coordinate approaches. Thailand aspires to establish a global partnership that yields tangible results in the fight against online fraud.
Minister Sihasak expressed hope that the Bangkok Joint Statement will be adopted, calling for countries and sectors to commit to supporting the statement and being part of this global partnership. He concluded by asserting that online fraud is a global threat requiring a global response to protect people, uphold human dignity, and ensure technology serves progress.