The government is expanding Thai-US cooperation to crack down on "call centers and human trafficking," aiming to boost Thailand to Tier 1 status to enhance the country's image and build confidence in its economy, investment, and tourism.
On 3 May 2026, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul, in his policy statement to Parliament, had instructed that combating transnational criminal networks and scammer operations is a national agenda. Major achievements include prosecuting cases and seizing assets of Mr. Ben Smith, Mr. Jim Liak, and associates totaling over 20 billion baht, with additional investigations extending to other groups involved in offenses using Thailand as a money laundering base.
Furthermore, authorities dismantled a large call center network near the Thai-Cambodian border, uncovering over 10,000 forced labor victims of various nationalities who were deceived and exploited in Romance Scam and investment fraud schemes. The Prime Minister emphasized to all sectors “We must eradicate call center gangs and human trafficking networks along the borders both inside and outside the country. We will not allow Thailand to be a transit point for these criminal operations under any circumstances.”
Recently, during 21-25 April in Washington, D.C., Thai agencies led by Police General Thatchai Pitanilapabutr, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Ministry of Labor, met with US counterparts to elevate cooperation into concrete actions against transnational call center gangs, human trafficking, and cybercrime. They agreed to exchange information and set deep working strategies. Last year, many American citizens were victims, suffering losses exceeding 6 billion US dollars, approximately 190 billion baht.
The government spokesperson added, that from policy to serious implementation, Thailand believes it can upgrade its human trafficking assessment status from Tier 2, where it has remained for four consecutive years, to Tier 1. This upgrade will enhance the country’s image and build confidence in the economy, investment, and tourism. The Royal Thai Police plan to launch the “SHIELD” system in June 2026, serving as a central hub for information exchange among more than 10 member countries to more effectively prevent and combat call center gangs and human trafficking networks in the region.
Moreover, Thailand has received praise from the US for establishing the Warroom IAC, which integrates data with financial institutions and mobile network providers, enabling swift account freezes and asset recovery for victims. This close cooperation with the FBI has also led to numerous arrests and asset seizures.
“These concrete results, including expanding international cooperation, upgrading investigative systems, and continuously combating transnational criminal networks, reflect the government’s commitment to protecting citizens and maintaining national security, while advancing Thailand toward sustainable international standards.”