PM Anutin Declares “Scammer Suppression” a National Agenda, Orders AMLO to Tackle Financial Crimes Within 4 Months

On November 3, 2025, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to deliver policy directives and monitor its operations. The key highlight of the meeting was Anutin’s declaration that the crackdown on scammers is now a national priority, reaffirming the government’s strong commitment to protecting the public from financial crimes.

Anutin stated that AMLO’s mission has drawn significant attention from both the public and media, given the widespread damage caused by economic crimes and online scams. He admitted to feeling “highly pressured” to resolve the issue, warning that if Thailand fails to take decisive action, it could face international criticism or even economic sanctions, which would harm national credibility and investor confidence.

“Dirty money is black, not gray. No matter how you launder it, it will never be clean,”
Anutin Charnvirakul

Anutin emphasized that tackling financial crimes and money laundering is essential to ensuring the nation’s stability and public trust. He pledged that the government will push forward with concrete results within the next four months, designating AMLO as the lead agency in developing proactive strategies to combat the rapidly evolving landscape of financial fraud.

Anutin also ordered full enforcement of existing laws and promised to provide technological, legal, and operational support to all agencies involved. He stressed that no one will be exempt from punishment, including state officials found complicit in financial crimes.

To strengthen inter-agency cooperation, the Ministry of Interior will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with four key agencies: the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), AMLO, the Royal Thai Police, and provincial governors under the ministry’s jurisdiction. The goal is to create a unified framework for combating financial corruption and transnational scams.

Beyond enforcement, the collaboration will also focus on public awareness campaigns, encouraging citizens to protect themselves from online fraud, investment scams, and digital financial traps, reducing the number of victims nationwide.

During the meeting, Chatchai Phromlert, Chairman of AMLO, reported significant progress over the past year. The agency successfully seized assets worth over 29 billion baht, pursued 160 criminal cases, and deactivated more than 800,000 mule accounts. Moreover, AMLO has prepared to return approximately 3 billion baht to victims of financial fraud.

Chatchai also requested government support to upgrade AMLO’s technological systems, especially by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance financial transaction monitoring and detection of complex fraudulent activities. The Prime Minister responded positively, confirming readiness to allocate central government funds if necessary.

In addition, the meeting introduced the “AMLO for the People” initiative, aiming to establish community-level legal enforcement networks that will help monitor, report, and prevent money laundering activities at the grassroots level, building a stronger and safer financial environment for Thai citizens.

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Source of material: official media /online news