Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra revealed that she had received a scam call from someone impersonating another world leader, possibly using AI to fake their voice. The caller initially expressed interest in working together, but later asked for a donation and instructed her to transfer money to a foreign bank account, prompting her to realize it was a scam. Southeast Asia has seen a rise in telecom and online fraud, with many people trafficked into criminal operations across the region. Americans have reportedly lost billions to scams originating from Southeast Asia. A recent case involving a Chinese actor who was trafficked and trained to scam others highlighted the need for regional cooperation to combat online scams. The Thai government is working with Chinese authorities to address these issues and ensure they do not impact the country’s tourism industry, which is heavily reliant on visitors from China. The arrest of 12 suspects in connection with scam operations that led to Chinese nationals going missing underscores the severity of the issue. Prime Minister Paetongtarn emphasized the importance of addressing online scams to protect the public and maintain regional security.
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Thai Prime Minister reveals she almost fell victim to scam call impersonating world leader
