Fighting cybercrime needs bolder action

Much has been said about the scourge of online scams and cybercrime.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, middle, presides over an event on Nov 6 when 15 state agencies, including ministries, independent institutes, and private-sector agencies such as the Thai Bankers Association, sign an MoU for closer cooperation to protect the financial system from scammers.

(SUMMAT KITTISIN)

In terms of action, Thailand has exactly 15 days to prove to the global community that it has the mettle to deal with scammers.

This month, Bangkok is hosting the International Conference on Global Partnership Against Online Scams on Dec 17-18.

This international conference is a crucial opportunity for Thailand to position itself in its internal effort to fight against scammers. At a recent press briefing, Vice Foreign Minister Vijavat Isarabhakdi said that Thailand intends to use this international conference to forge a truly global partnership against online scams and promote a more coordinated global response.

Thailand declared war on scammers in October, when Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul pledged the country's commitment to counter them at the Asean summit.

Since then, there have been some actions against the scammers along Thailand’s volatile borders with Cambodia and Myanmar.

Yet, cybercrime and scammers are complex and elusive activities that involve networks in other countries. It needs to collaborate with foreign governments and other agencies at the local and international levels to make the suppression more integrated and systematic.

The latest crackdown, with reports of transactions by a transnational scam network, and even reports of scams over the past several weeks, has clearly shown the complexity of these crimes.

PM Anutin needs to do more to keep up with the game.