Bangkok:Thailand and Indonesia are enhancing their cooperation in the areas of finance, energy, and agriculture, as well as working together to combat scammers and transnational money laundering. The collaboration aims to promote trade and investment, while also exploring opportunities for ASEAN to strengthen its economy and regional influence.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Friderica Widyasari Dewi, Chair of the Indonesian Financial Services Supervisory Agency (OJK), met with Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Thailand's Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, to discuss promoting cooperation in various sectors. Their discussions focused on finance, banking, energy, agriculture, and measures to prevent transnational financial crimes.
The Prime Minister congratulated the OJK Chair on her appointment and thanked Indonesia for its support of Thai banks operating in the country, including Kasikornbank and Bangkok Bank. These banks facilitate business between the two countries, and Thailand is committed to further cooperation in finance and banking, including knowledge exchange on financial services, cybersecurity, and sustainable growth mechanisms.
Both nations emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in energy and agriculture, along with boosting trade and investment. The Prime Minister expressed his desire for more Thai businesses to enter the Indonesian market and welcomed Indonesian investment in Thailand. The collaboration between financial institutions is seen as crucial for supporting businesses and expanding trade.
Regarding transnational crime, the Indonesian delegation appreciated Thailand's efforts in tackling call center gangs and scammer networks, which have enhanced safety for citizens of both countries. Indonesia supports Thailand's leadership role in ASEAN in addressing these issues effectively.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for enhanced cooperation in preventing and suppressing call center scams, online fraud, black market accounts, and money laundering. This requires close coordination and information exchange between relevant agencies, as these crimes are transnational and affect multiple countries. Regional collaboration is necessary to dismantle these criminal networks and ensure economic stability and public confidence.
Both countries recognized ASEAN's potential to drive economic growth amid global challenges. As major economies within ASEAN, Thailand and Indonesia should promote unity and cooperation, leveraging their strengths to create trade and investment opportunities. This will highlight ASEAN's readiness to engage in global trade.