BANGKOK, Thailand – Efforts to combat call center scams in Thailand have intensified, with authorities focusing on enhancing collaboration between banks and telecom operators to swiftly share information and block illicit fund transfers.
Strengthening SIM card registration protocols and suppressing technology crimes are at the forefront of these initiatives, alongside heightened investigations into international criminal networks.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Center for the Suppression of Technology Crimes, has been leading these efforts. In addition, Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has offered his assistance in addressing the issue, a move welcomed by authorities.
Following discussions with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, immediate steps were taken to tighten SIM card registration protocols. A recent seizure of a SIM box revealed signals linked to Singapore, prompting a further investigation by the Technology Crime Suppression Division.
Authorities suspect that these criminal gangs operate from neighboring countries while leveraging signals from Singapore to evade detection. Two Chinese nationals have been implicated in the investigations, with searches continuing at multiple locations. Thai nationals are also believed to be involved, highlighting the domestic dimension of these operations. Efforts are underway to strengthen international cooperation to block cross-border signal transmissions and dismantle these networks.
Pol. Gen. Thatchai emphasized the need for stricter SIM registration processes and the closure of mule accounts used for financial fraud. He underlined the critical role of banks in monitoring suspicious account activity and implementing measures such as delayed money transfers to enable transaction tracing. Weekly and monthly reporting by financial institutions was flagged as essential in this regard.
Collaboration between telecom providers and banks remains central to tackling call center scams. Pol. Gen. Thatchai called for faster communication with executives to address loopholes and implement effective solutions. He expressed confidence that advancements in technology, combined with inter-agency cooperation, would successfully dismantle these criminal networks. (NNT)
