Under the leadership of Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, assistant commissioner-general and deputy director of the Police Cyber Task Force (PCT), the force is adopting a data-driven approach to trace and dismantle criminal networks by building what he calls a “financial DNA” of scammers.
In an interview with the Bangkok Post, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said law enforcement authorities are now tracking criminal money flows - from the creation of mule accounts to the conversion of stolen funds into digital assets - with the aim of recovering victims’ money and capturing the masterminds behind these operations.
He added this strategy forms part of the national initiative to develop a “Digital Police” force capable of tackling complex forms of cybercrime.
New framework
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said police are enforcing the 2025 Royal Decree on the Prevention and Suppression of Technology Crimes, a landmark law that modernises legal tools for combating online fraud.
The decree empowers the police to act as the lead criminal prosecution agency and to coordinate with financial and digital institutions to collect and use data effectively.
“To make the law work, officers must fully understand and correctly apply it,” Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said, noting the force is conducting workshops and online training programmes nationwide to enhance officers’ legal literacy and operational skills.
“Police are no longer looking only at the ‘destination account’,” Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said.
“We’re now building the ‘financial DNA’ of criminal groups by following money trails from the moment mule accounts are opened until the funds are converted into digital currencies or transferred overseas.”
Only a few police units possess the expertise to investigate digital transactions at present. To address this gap, the PCT is developing specialised training courses and operational manuals for regional and provincial investigators.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said police must evolve into a fully digital organisation. “We’re moving from traditional investigation to a proactive, technology-driven model,” he said. “Our aim is to predict and prevent crimes before they occur.”
He outlined plans to expand staffing in three core areas: digital forensic analysts, data scientists, and cyber investigators. These specialists will be critical to the modernisation of the Royal Thai Police and its ability to combat transnational cybercrime.
The PCT’s internal structure has also been reorganised into 13 specialised divisions, covering areas such as data analytics, digital and gold assets, telecommunications and VoIP, online platforms, and border control. Each division operates under a unified data system to enhance coordination and effectiveness.
Harnessing Big Data and AI
The PCT uses a big data system to compile and analyse information for tracing criminal networks. Artificial intelligence is increasingly employed for proactive work - such as screening suspicious online posts, generating automated reports, and even simulating victims in police training programmes.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said cooperation with banks and online platforms has improved under the new legal framework. Financial institutions now work in real time with police through “war room” operations to detect and freeze suspicious accounts.
A colour-coded system classifies mule accounts by severity: “grey mules” (first-line mule accounts) are immediately suspended; “black mules” are publicly listed and banned from transactions for three years; and “brown mules” are identified by banks’ internal risk systems. Banks have also tightened account-opening procedures for both individuals and businesses.
Online platforms, meanwhile, have stepped up efforts to block fraudulent accounts and share user data to support investigations. In return, police provide feedback and prevention models derived from data analysis to help platforms detect and prevent future fraud attempts.
Prevention as best defence
“The best suppression is prevention,” Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said.
“Building digital immunity among citizens is just as important as catching criminals.” He compared cybercrime awareness to vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that widespread knowledge can reduce the spread of online viruses.
He said the police are partnering with the media and private sector to roll out public-awareness campaigns targeting all age groups and regions. The outreach aims to educate people about common scams and promote access to the national cybercrime hotline at 1441.
One alarming new trend involves scammers impersonating government officials to target students. “Criminals call students, threaten them into isolation, then contact their parents to demand ransom,” Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop said. The PCT is working with the Education and Higher Education ministries to alert schools and universities nationwide.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop also warned of a surge in fraudulent investment schemes that use the likenesses of celebrities to gain credibility. Such scams often lure victims through online advertisements claiming to teach investment basics or offer free trading tips. Once victims register, they are tricked into downloading fake investment apps.
“These are among the most damaging scams we’ve seen,” he said. The PCT has established a war room to monitor online platforms and identify fake articles or ads before they spread. The team then submits takedown requests and collects digital evidence by deploying undercover officers posing as victims.
Regional cooperation
Recognising that many call centre gangs operate across borders, Thailand has begun working closely with neighbouring countries. Recently, Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop represented the Royal Thai Police in signing a bilateral action plan with Cambodia aimed at cracking down on scam operations. The agreement includes intelligence sharing, joint investigations, and a joint task force comprising 12 officers from each side.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop is optimistic. “With shared data, real-time coordination, and advanced technology, we’re finally starting to close in on these criminal networks,” he said.
Thailand’s evolving fight against cybercrime may still be in its early stages, but with the integration of financial analytics, artificial intelligence, and regional cooperation, it is moving from reactive policing to a proactive digital era - one that aims not only to catch scammers but to outsmart them before they strike.