On 22 January 2026, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Minister of Foreign Affairs, participated as a panelist in the session titled “Cybercrime Has Real Victims” during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026. He was joined by the Secretary-General of INTERPOL, executives from the International Justice Mission (IJM), and faculty members from Stanford University to exchange visions on the escalating threats of technological crime and its direct impact on human rights.

The Foreign Minister highlighted that contemporary cybercrime is no longer limited to financial theft but has evolved into an industrial-scale transnational criminal network interlinked with human trafficking and forced labor. As a frontline state, Thailand has been significantly impacted, with estimated damages reaching $3.16 billion over the past three years. Nevertheless, Thailand has taken a proactive role in providing assistance and successfully repatriating over 11,000 victims from more than 40 countries safely to their homes.

Furthermore, the Foreign Minister emphasized the necessity of utilizing diplomatic mechanisms to foster cross-border cooperation among the public sector, private industry, and civil society. This collaboration aims to establish international norms, close legal loopholes, and facilitate intelligence sharing. He stressed that these issues represent a global governance challenge that requires collective action to shift from reactive measures to proactive public protection.

Thailand stands ready to build upon its commitments following the signing of the UN Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi and its role as host of a joint meeting with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to disrupt financial flows and dismantle the cycles of transnational crime. In line with these efforts, Thailand also hosted the International Conference on the Global Partnership against Online Scams from 17–18 December 2025 in Bangkok.