BANGKOK: The governments of the Philippines and Thailand have committed to enhancing their collaborative efforts to combat transnational crimes, with a particular focus on dismantling online scam hubs, as announced by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo.
According to Philippines News Agency, the agreement was reached during a meeting between Manalo and Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa at the 6th Philippine-Thailand Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) in Bangkok. Manalo noted that both Filipino and Thai citizens have been victimized by syndicates operating scam centers within the region. “Our two sides agreed to cooperate closely on defense and security, specifically in combating transnational crimes, which continue to victimize our nationals in their online scamming operations,” he stated. The discussions also explored additional areas of potential cooperation, including cybersecurity, peacekeeping, and disaster relief.
The Thai government, led by Prime Minist
er Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has prioritized anti-cybercrime initiatives as a crucial component of its policy agenda. In alignment with this, Thailand plans to enhance its capacity to suppress call center gangs and collaborate with neighboring countries to establish mechanisms that ensure shared responsibility between telecommunications providers and commercial banks. This strategy follows an incident in May where a group of Filipinos managed to escape from employers who initially recruited them for customer service roles but later coerced them into working as “love scammers” targeting homosexuals online.
Beyond addressing transnational crimes, the Philippine and Thai ministers reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening trade and investment ties, particularly in food security, agriculture, and renewable energy sectors. They also agreed to bolster their tourism industries by enhancing connectivity and considered technical cooperation to improve cultural promotion and labor management capabilities.
On regiona
l matters, Manalo briefed his Thai counterpart on developments in the South China Sea, emphasizing the Philippines’ commitment to upholding international law in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award. Additionally, Manalo highlighted the Philippines’ active involvement in seeking peace in Myanmar, particularly as it prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2026.
“Overall, the Foreign Minister and I had a productive meeting and I will convey the results of our discussions to the rest of the government agencies back in Manila, so we can begin taking the next steps to implement the action points we have identified,” Manalo concluded.