Thai PM Denies Cabinet Involvement in Illegal Businesses, Highlights Scammer Crackdown Success

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has asserted that no member of the current cabinet is involved in illegal activities or what are known as 'grey' businesses. The statement was made during a meeting to discuss policies for strengthening Thai-Japanese relations and enhancing the collaboration of the Thai team, held at a hotel in Tokyo. The Prime Minister emphasized the government's serious commitment to combating scammers. He reported that over the past three months, and an additional seven months under the current administration, assets worth more than US$1.5 billion have been seized from scammer networks. This effort, he noted, has led to Thailand being recognized internationally as a credible country in tackling scammers. He also pointed to the fact that major credit rating agencies such as Fitch Ratings, S&P, and Moody's have revised Thailand's credit rating outlook to 'stable,' demonstrating that Thailand meets international standards in managing such issues. Furthermore, the Prime Minister addressed the issue of drug suppression, stating that the government is fully engaged in this area. The remaining challenge, he explained, is to crack down on drug manufacturing factories. He mentioned that discussions have begun regarding the risk of drugs manufactured in these factories being sold within Thailand, as well as the high risk of fatalities among Thai officials involved in suppression operations. He stated that this matter has been clearly communicated to neighboring countries to the west, emphasizing that such a situation cannot be allowed to continue. Prime Minister Srettha concluded by saying that these efforts showcase Thailand's seriousness in eradicating all forms of crime and illegal activities to the international community. He reiterated that no cabinet minister in his government is profiting from such activities or has any connection to grey or illegal businesses, and therefore, there is no reason to compromise with lawbreakers.