BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand and Indonesia have agreed to deepen cooperation in finance, energy and agriculture while strengthening joint efforts against call-center gangs, online scams, mule accounts and cross-border money laundering. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul discussed the issues with Friderica Widyasari Dewi, chairwoman of Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority (Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, OJK), during her courtesy visit in Bangkok on October 14.
Anutin welcomed Dewi’s appointment and thanked Indonesia for supporting Thai commercial banks operating in the country. Kasikornbank and Bangkok Bank currently operate in Indonesia, helping facilitate business between the two countries. Thailand is ready to expand financial and banking cooperation, including knowledge sharing on financial inclusion, cybersecurity and the development of financial mechanisms that support sustainable growth, the prime minister said.
Both sides also agreed on the importance of closer cooperation in energy and agriculture, alongside efforts to expand trade and investment. Anutin expressed hope that more Thai businesses would expand into Indonesia and welcomed Indonesian investors to Thailand. Closer ties between financial institutions in both countries could help businesses operate more effectively and create further opportunities for bilateral trade and investment.
On transnational crime, the Indonesian delegation praised Thailand’s efforts to combat call-center gangs and scam networks, saying these operations help protect both Thai and Indonesian citizens. Indonesia pledged continued support and said Thailand could play a leading role in ASEAN’s response to the problem.
Anutin stressed the need for closer coordination and information sharing between relevant agencies to prevent and suppress online fraud, call-center operations, the use of mule accounts and money laundering. He noted that these crimes cross national borders and affect people in multiple countries, making regional cooperation essential to disrupting criminal networks and restoring public confidence in financial systems.
The two sides also discussed ASEAN’s potential to drive economic growth amid global challenges. As two of the region’s major economies, Thailand and Indonesia should promote unity, deepen cooperation and build on their respective strengths to expand trade and investment opportunities. They agreed that stronger regional collaboration could demonstrate ASEAN’s capacity to work together and trade with partners around the world. (TNA)
