Rome: Rangsiman Rome, a party-list MP and deputy leader of the People's Party, has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap aimed at tackling the escalating issue of scammer gangs, call centers, and money laundering networks that are increasingly taking over Thailand. He emphasized the growing complexity of the situation and announced plans to invite the Deputy Finance Minister to elucidate the ties to Cambodia's BIC Group discovered on October 30. Rome also urged the Prime Minister to break the silence and prevent ministers from muzzling the media, highlighting the need to uphold the rule of law as outlined in the policy statement.
According to Thai News Agency, Rangsiman Rome, who also chairs the Committee on Security and Border Affairs, expressed concern over the illegal takeover by gray capitalists. He noted that the intricacy of the scammer operations is unprecedented, with entities like Myawaddy serving as full-service entertainment venues that operate as fronts for scams. These operations involve networks of money mule accounts and sophisticated face-scanning systems that facilitate the swift transfer of funds to cryptocurrency, complicating efforts to trace and recover stolen funds.
Rangsiman cited the need for businesses in neighboring countries to launder gray money, bypassing monitoring by agencies in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. He referenced Huione, a company linked to the Hun family, which is under scrutiny by U.S. agencies for money laundering activities. The staggering cash flow, estimated to be 30% larger than reported, underscores the scale of the money laundering empire that threatens to further tarnish Thailand's reputation.
The roadmap outlined by Rome includes three strategic approaches to combat these issues. Firstly, he advocated for legal action based on current data, particularly in response to companies employing iris scans for identity verification without proper disclosure, leading to potential online identity fraud. He recommended collaboration between the SEC, the Personal Data Protection Committee, and the Cyber Police to address these practices.
The second approach involves international cooperation, particularly with the United States, to tackle call center gangs and scammers. Rome highlighted the need for information exchange regarding money laundering operations linked to entities like the Huiwan Company. He emphasized the importance of leveraging international partnerships to effectively dismantle these networks.
Lastly, Rome called for legislative action and expedited agency efforts to systematically address the issue, including amendments to the Travel Rule law for efficient cryptocurrency investigations. He urged the Bank of Thailand to scrutinize financial trails linked to Cambodian businessman Ly Yong Phat and called on the Prime Minister to prioritize these concerns. Rome also advocated for Thailand's ratification of international conventions on cybercrime and money laundering to enhance legal and international cooperation.
The announcement also touched on the involvement of various political figures and entities in the gray capital networks. Rome criticized the government's silence and inaction, warning that continued inaction would necessitate more rigorous scrutiny through parliamentary mechanisms. He called for transparency and accountability from all parties involved, urging them to provide valuable information to aid in the crackdown on these networks.