FBI praises Thailand's anti-scam efforts, vows closer cooperation

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has praised Thailand's efforts to eradicate transnational scam networks, while both sides have pledged to strengthen cooperation in combating cross-border crime, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said today after meeting FBI Director Kash Patel.

Patel paid a courtesy call on Anutin at Government House during his visit to Thailand, where the two discussed expanding cooperation against scam syndicates, drug trafficking, human trafficking and other forms of transnational crime.

At the meeting, Anutin said he had described the fight against transnational crime as a national priority, adding that Thailand had made tangible progress by freezing assets linked to criminal networks worth tens of billions of baht.

Patel commended Thailand's recent crackdown on scam operations and reaffirmed the FBI's commitment to working closely with the Royal Thai Police.

The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation in two key areas.

On law enforcement, Patel thanked Thailand for co-hosting the Summit for Scam Centres, held in Bangkok on July 20 and 21, and described Thailand as a key regional partner in combating transnational crime.

On tackling criminal networks, both sides agreed that their objective should extend beyond arresting individual offenders to working together internationally to eradicate scam syndicates operating across the region.

They also pledged to strengthen information sharing and intelligence exchanges, saying closer international cooperation is essential to addressing transnational crime, which poses a growing threat to people around the world.