Thailand has welcomed the United States’ announcement of measures against online scam networks in Southeast Asia, saying the move aligns with its own ongoing efforts to combat transnational crimes, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday.
The ministry said Thailand shared the US’s determination to hold accountable those responsible for online scams and scam centers that have affected people both within and outside the region, and are often linked to serious crimes such as human trafficking, forced labour, and money laundering.
“Thailand reaffirms its resolute determination to eliminate online scams and scam centers,” the statement read.
“We are committed to further enhancing cooperation with the United States, as part of our longstanding security partnership, as well as with other partner countries and relevant international organizations, to address this serious crime effectively and expeditiously.”
The US government has seized more than US$14 billion in bitcoin and charged the founder of a Cambodian conglomerate in a massive cryptocurrency scam, accusing him and unnamed co-conspirators of exploiting forced labor to dupe would-be investors and using the proceeds to purchase yachts, jets and a Picasso painting.
In an indictment unsealed Tuesday, Brooklyn federal prosecutors charged Prince Holding Group chairman Chen Zhi with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Chen, 38, is accused of sanctioning violence against workers, authorizing bribes to foreign officials and using his other businesses, such as online gambling and cryptocurrency mining, to launder illicit profits.
Last year, Americans lost at least US$10 billion to Southeast Asia-based scams, a 66% increase from 2023, the Treasury Department said, calling Prince Holding Group a “dominant player” in that space.
