Bangkok: The Prime Minister presided over the opening ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Police Chiefs’ Meeting, reinforcing the region’s leadership in combating transnational crime and strengthening security cooperation with all countries for a stable and prosperous ASEAN region. Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul presided over the opening ceremony of the 43rd ASEAN Chiefs of National Police (ASEANAPOL), hosted by the Royal Thai Police. The event, themed ‘Collaboration in Action: Crushing Scam, Disrupting Fraud, and Protecting People,’ took place from November 3-7, 2025, at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok. Over 200 senior police officers from ASEAN member states, dialogue partners, and observers from international law enforcement agencies were in attendance. At the opening ceremony, attendees observed a moment of silence in tribute to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit the Queen Mother.
According to Thai News Agency, the Prime Minister welcomed the participants, expressing his congratulations on Thailand’s hosting of the ASEANAPOL meeting. He thanked representatives from ASEAN member states for their shared commitment to promoting peace, security, and cooperation in the region. He also congratulated Timor-Leste on its official accession to ASEAN, marking a significant historical milestone for the region.
The Prime Minister stated that this meeting comes at a crucial time, as transnational crimes have become increasingly sophisticated and have far-reaching impacts. These include drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, transnational fraud, and online scams, which undermine social stability, damage the economy, and undermine investor confidence and legitimate businesses.
The ASEAN region has become a prime target for these criminal groups. However, ASEAN member states are aware of the problem, recognize the challenges, and are united in their commitment to taking every possible measure to make the ASEAN region safe again.
The international community has also been actively involved in combating transnational crime. Last month, Thailand’s Minister of Digital Economy and Society, along with 67 other countries, signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime. Furthermore, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) raised the issue of “fraud and cybercrime” as an urgent agenda item, with Thailand proposing the issue.
This reflects that Thailand not only wants to participate but also to lead, and that combating transnational crime requires serious and systematic action together.
The Prime Minister also mentioned last week’s ASEAN Summit, which placed great importance on enhancing regional security cooperation, including intelligence sharing, joint training, and the development of coordination mechanisms to address emerging threats from transnational crime. Thailand has declared “suppressing transnational crime” a national agenda, and believes that addressing this issue requires a holistic and integrated approach.
The ASEANAPOL meeting is an important forum for exchanging best practices and jointly developing a concrete framework for cooperation to enhance collective capacity in addressing transnational crime across all dimensions. The Prime Minister invited participants to propose new ideas that would guide strategic cooperation among member states, aiming at the shared goal of “security and prosperity for the ASEAN region and the global community as a whole.”
In closing, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the dedication and commitment of officials at all levels. He thanked all countries for their significant contributions to promoting regional cooperation and wished the 43rd ASEAN Police Chiefs’ Meeting a tangible success and positive outcomes for the prevention and suppression of transnational crimes, contributing to the peace and safety of people in the region and around the world.