Thailand seeks Asean extradition convention to battle cybercrime in Southeast Asia

Thailand is seeking to ink a new regional extradition pact with 10 other Southeast Asian countries in a united effort to combat transnational crimes by 2024. Senior officials discussed the matter during a seminar about how to combat cybercrime at the Office of the Attorney General’s 129th anniversary meeting, the Bangkok Post reported.

Thailand has seen an uptick in recent fraud cases, as criminals implement new technologies to create call centres and Ponzi scheme scams, according to a public prosecutor Benjaporn Watcharavutthichai.

“Law enforcement officers must update their technologies to catch up with transnational organised crime.”

Today’s organised crime like call centre scams reflect the increasing complexity of criminal activity, according to Jumpon Phansumrit, director-general of the International Affairs Department. In Thailand, call centre scams are increasingly common.

He said the Asean extradition convention is expected to be implemented by 2024, as the OAG tries to strike a deal with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. It would reportedly do more for combat cybercrime than current pacts like the International Cooperation in Criminal Matters Act of 1992, which tried to take on such criminal activities last year. Even so, Phansumrit said the network is expected to expand to include Madlives and Australia.

But cybercrime isn’t the only item on the OAB’s hit list of transnational criminal activity. According to Phansumrit, traffickers and trade-based money launderers are using Thailand as a hub transactional hub. Moreover, Human trafficking, drug trafficking, illegal wildlife trade, counterfeit medical supplies are all common crimes in Southeast Asia, according to United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Source: Bangkok Post