Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has made combating online scams and cybercrime a central part of his security agenda for the ASEAN bloc. At the ASEAN Summit, he identified these transnational threats as directly impacting the well-being and daily lives of the region’s citizens. Thailand has proposed the creation of a regional cooperation network to improve intelligence sharing and conduct joint operations against cybercrime groups.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul used his first major multilateral platform at the 47th ASEAN Summit Plenary Session on Sunday to emphasize the need for regional unity against transnational threats, explicitly naming online scams and cybercrime as key targets. Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, the Prime Minister congratulated Timor-Leste on its new membership, reaffirming that ASEAN forms the cornerstone of Thailand’s foreign policy. In his address to leaders, including the Prime Ministers of Canada and the United Kingdom and the head of the IMF, Anutin outlined three critical strategies for the bloc: 1. Security and Scammer Threats Anutin called for the creation of an ASEAN Community that is “safe and secure for its people.” He stressed that the well-being of citizens depends on the ability to counter new threats that directly impact daily life, specifically mentioning cybercrime, online fraud, and human trafficking.
Thailand is proposing the establishment of a cooperation network to enhance intelligence sharing and effective joint operations against these groups. The plan also includes strengthening ASEAN centres, such as the Center for Public Health Emergencies (ACPHEED), to better handle cross-border pollution, natural disasters, and epidemics. 2. Sustainable Economic Integration The Prime Minister welcomed the signing of the revised ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) and the 3rd ASEAN–China Free Trade Agreement during the summit. He expressed confidence that the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) could be signed within the next year. Anutin also highlighted the need for a green transition, urging investment in clean energy, the ASEAN Power Grid project, and green finance to ensure sustainable growth.