Thailand Hosts ASEAN Police Chiefs in Bangkok for Region-Wide Crackdown on Online Scams
Senior officers from the ten ASEAN member states convene under the banner ‘Crushing Scam, Disrupting Fraud’ as transnational cyber-crime and human trafficking surge.
Bangkok this week welcomes the ten-nation delegation of police chiefs for the 43rd meeting of the ASEANAPOL Conference hosted by the Royal Thai Police (RTP).
Running from November 3 to November 7, 2025, the five-day gathering is organised under the theme “Collaboration in Action: Crushing Scam, Disrupting Fraud, and Protecting People”.
The conference brings together roughly 280 senior law-enforcement officials, dialogue partners and international observers to focus on organised transnational crime networks, especially those operating online and linked to human-trafficking operations.
Thailand’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul, is scheduled to attend as an honoured guest while the RTP’s Commissioner-General Krit Phanphet leads the Thai delegation.
The move signals Thailand’s determination to place itself at the forefront of regional efforts to stem the rise of cyber-fraud, online scams and associated illicit flows.
Several recent studies show that scam operations in Southeast Asia have expanded rapidly: victims who report having ever been scammed in the region rose to over forty-three percent, with sixty-eight percent of them recognising actual financial losses.
A regional policy report emphasises the need for whole-of-government coordination, enhanced cross-border information sharing and stronger public-private partnerships to stem the tide of illicit activity.
At the heart of discussions will be how to dismantle so-called “scam compounds”, sites where trafficked individuals are forced into online fraud operations, interlinked with money-laundering and human-trafficking networks.
The conference agenda includes plenary sessions, workshops and operational-level briefings designed to expedite regional cooperation among police, cybercrime units and partner agencies.
Thailand’s hosting role is expected to underline its commitment to regional security, digital resilience and law-enforcement leadership.
Delegates will seek to agree on a coordinated roadmap for intelligence-sharing, rapid cross-border investigation protocols and strengthened responses to illicit finance generated by cyber-fraud.
With the rise of digital scams now firmly embedded in the ASEAN security agenda, the Bangkok conference may mark a turning point in the region’s capacity to cooperate and act swiftly against these threats.
Running from November 3 to November 7, 2025, the five-day gathering is organised under the theme “Collaboration in Action: Crushing Scam, Disrupting Fraud, and Protecting People”.
The conference brings together roughly 280 senior law-enforcement officials, dialogue partners and international observers to focus on organised transnational crime networks, especially those operating online and linked to human-trafficking operations.
Thailand’s Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul, is scheduled to attend as an honoured guest while the RTP’s Commissioner-General Krit Phanphet leads the Thai delegation.
The move signals Thailand’s determination to place itself at the forefront of regional efforts to stem the rise of cyber-fraud, online scams and associated illicit flows.
Several recent studies show that scam operations in Southeast Asia have expanded rapidly: victims who report having ever been scammed in the region rose to over forty-three percent, with sixty-eight percent of them recognising actual financial losses.
A regional policy report emphasises the need for whole-of-government coordination, enhanced cross-border information sharing and stronger public-private partnerships to stem the tide of illicit activity.
At the heart of discussions will be how to dismantle so-called “scam compounds”, sites where trafficked individuals are forced into online fraud operations, interlinked with money-laundering and human-trafficking networks.
The conference agenda includes plenary sessions, workshops and operational-level briefings designed to expedite regional cooperation among police, cybercrime units and partner agencies.
Thailand’s hosting role is expected to underline its commitment to regional security, digital resilience and law-enforcement leadership.
Delegates will seek to agree on a coordinated roadmap for intelligence-sharing, rapid cross-border investigation protocols and strengthened responses to illicit finance generated by cyber-fraud.
With the rise of digital scams now firmly embedded in the ASEAN security agenda, the Bangkok conference may mark a turning point in the region’s capacity to cooperate and act swiftly against these threats.
