PATTAYA, Thailand – The Bank of Thailand and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society have announced new measures to mitigate the impact of frozen bank accounts on innocent citizens inadvertently caught in efforts to block illicit financial flows. Authorities reported that more than 10,000 suspicious accounts are flagged each week, with some belonging to individuals mistakenly swept into the process.
Under the revised system, individuals whose accounts are frozen can contact the Anti-Online Scam Operation Center (AOC) hotline at 1441 and press 2 for assistance. Banks are required to verify information and return it to AOC within two hours, after which the center must process and respond within a similar timeframe. The change will reduce the average account unfreezing time from several days to just three to four hours.
Banks will also introduce clearer notifications, specifying “temporary transaction suspension” and the exact amount frozen. These messages will be sent through each bank’s communication channels, with implementation expected by the end of September. Officials stressed that permanent freezes still require a formal seizure order from police or the Anti-Money Laundering Office.
The measures are part of the Emergency Decree on Measures for the Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crime, enacted this year. The law sets a limit of seven days for temporary suspensions. If no seizure order is issued within that period, banks must lift the freeze immediately.
The AOC hotline currently receives about 1,300 calls, but only 300 cases provide sufficient details to process an unfreezing request. The center operates 100 lines around the clock, with plans to expand capacity. (NNT)
