Nearly 1,000 Indonesian Scam Victims Repatriated with Thai Aid, Prabowo Expresses Gratitude

President Prabowo Subianto revealed that nearly 1,000 Indonesian citizens, victims of online scams, have been repatriated with the assistance of the Thai government. He expressed his gratitude to the Thai government for their cooperation, stating that it demonstrated the close relationship between the two countries. JAKARTA, August 3 - President Prabowo Subianto announced that approximately 1,000 Indonesian citizens, who fell victim to online scams, have been repatriated with the help of the Thai government. The President conveyed his appreciation to the Thai government during a joint press statement with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. "I convey my appreciation and gratitude on behalf of the Indonesian people to the Thai government for its assistance and close cooperation in facilitating the repatriation of Indonesian citizens who are victims of online scams," said Prabowo. "The number is quite large, approaching 1,000 Indonesian citizens." Online scams are fraudulent schemes that typically use the internet, messaging apps, social media, or digital platforms to deceive victims. President Prabowo emphasized that Thailand's assistance was very meaningful for Indonesia and a testament to the strong ties between the two nations. During the meeting, Indonesia and Thailand agreed to strengthen political and security cooperation, with a particular focus on combating transnational crimes. Transnational crime refers to criminal activities that cross national borders, involving perpetrators, victims, networks, and financial flows. President Prabowo stated that future cooperation would include information and intelligence exchange, joint investigations, tracking financial flows, and law enforcement coordination. This aims to dismantle transnational crime networks. The two countries also support the development of the Transnational Referral Mechanism (TRM), designed to accelerate the protection, identification, and dignified repatriation of victims of transnational crimes. Furthermore, defense and security cooperation will be optimized through the Indonesia-Thailand High Level Committee and the Indonesia-Thailand Security Dialogue. President Prabowo highlighted the increasing complexity of non-traditional security challenges, stressing the need for Indonesia and Thailand to play a stronger role in maintaining ASEAN resilience. Source: VOI English