Thai PM Assures No Government Ties to Illegal Businesses, Boosts Investor Confidence

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated on Tuesday that no member of his cabinet is involved in illegal or "gray" businesses, asserting that the government has no reason to compromise with lawbreakers. The government remains committed to cracking down on scammers, illegal enterprises, and all forms of drug trafficking. Speaking at a meeting on foreign policy and Thailand-Japan relations in Tokyo, Anutin, who also serves as interior minister, said that authorities have seized over 20 billion baht in assets linked to scam networks during a combined period of 10 months under the current and previous administrations. "I can assure you that no one in my government is involved in these activities. No cabinet member has any relationship with gray businesses or any form of illegal business. There is no such person in this government," he stated. The prime minister also highlighted the government's efforts to raise standards and improve measures to strengthen the country's credibility. He cited a recent revision of Thailand's credit outlook from "Negative" to "Stable" by an international credit rating agency, which maintained the sovereign credit rating at BBB. This development, he explained, reflects improving conditions and greater stability in Thailand, with its handling of illegal activities recognized by international institutions like Fitch Ratings, S&P, and Moody's. Anutin further emphasized the government's high level of stability, both in terms of parliamentary support and relations among coalition parties, as well as effective collaboration with the civil service and armed forces. He believes political stability and national security are key strengths that can be communicated to the Japanese government and the international community to build confidence in Thailand. The government is also aware of concerns regarding Thai nationals overstaying their visas in Japan. Anutin assured that Thailand is prepared to cooperate with Japanese authorities on this issue and has instructed the Royal Thai Police to continue implementing preventive and enforcement measures against such violations. Source: Khaosod English