In recent years, "grey money and criminals" have become a major concern for all parties due to the enormous financial losses incurred. At the national level, this issue affects many sectors. Although the Bank of Thailand (BOT) and related agencies have sought to block proxy accounts, which are key channels for illicit funds, criminals continue to find new methods. Recently, they have even started using "children" as tools.
Who would have thought that recently criminals have infiltrated schools by staging educational activities and giving prizes to students in exchange for personal information or facial scans. These criminals use that information to open mobile SIM cards, resulting in proxy SIMs and accounts that scammers can easily exploit.
The latest data from the Bank of Thailand shows a rapid increase in youth proxy accounts in early 2026. In March alone, there were 5,741 such accounts involved in criminals' financial operations, causing damages totaling over 185 million baht.
Although this figure may seem small compared to other categories of financial harm, it could mark the beginning of serious problems in youths’ lives. Using proxy accounts is illegal under the Cybersecurity Act, punishable by up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to 300,000 baht, or both.
Because a wrong first step can have severe long-term impacts on the children and their families, this is why the Bank of Thailand has intensified its efforts to address this issue.
On 31 July 2026, the Bank of Thailand revisited this issue by stating that Chayawadee Chaianan, Assistant Governor for Corporate Relations and spokesperson for the Bank of Thailand, explained that financial harm from criminals often affects the elderly (aged 60 and above) and youths (18 and under). Measures have been implemented to prevent this and aim to reduce the resulting damage.
Recently, these measures were enhanced for children and youths. The Bank of Thailand, in collaboration with the Thai Bankers' Association and e-Money providers, will set daily transfer and payment limits via digital channels appropriate to youths’ age groups:
These measures will begin rolling out in September for bank deposit accounts, and e-Money providers must complete implementation by October 2026.
However, daily transfer and payment limits on digital channels exclude "low-risk transactions," such as transfers to one’s own accounts within the same bank, payments of one’s own loans/debts, and utility bill payments.
Of course, these daily limits can be increased upon request by contacting e-Money providers or banks. The Bank of Thailand stated that the approval process should be swift, although no specific timeframe was provided.
Finally, proxy accounts can seriously affect the lives of children and their families. Therefore, both parents and the education system must closely monitor and support children, as the impact may extend beyond finances to cause long-term psychological effects on youths.
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