On September 16, 2025, Thailand’s National Police Chief, Police General Kittirat Phanpet, made a decisive move to address mounting public frustration over the widespread freezing of citizens’ bank accounts, a measure originally intended to combat cybercrime but one that has ensnared many innocent people. At a high-level meeting held at the National Police Operations Center, General Kittirat convened an urgent session with key agencies—including the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Technology Crime Suppression Division, and representatives from the Bank of Thailand and the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society—to develop a rapid response for those swept up in the crackdown on so-called "mule accounts."
According to BangkokBizNews, the new policy aims to distinguish between accounts genuinely linked to criminal activity and those belonging to ordinary citizens caught in the dragnet. Rather than freezing entire accounts, authorities will now target only the specific funds deemed suspicious. General Kittirat emphasized, “This is not about shifting the burden onto the public. It’s simply a matter of verifying one’s identity so that everyone’s innocence can be protected.”
The process, which kicked off on September 16, allows affected individuals to quickly verify their identity and ownership of the account by providing four key pieces of information: full name, identification number, bank account number, and the name of the bank. Once verified and cleared of any connection to criminal activity, the account will be unlocked within half a day—a dramatic improvement over previous, often lengthy, procedures.
General Kittirat assured the public that this is not just bureaucratic lip service. “We are determined to resolve the suffering of those affected by the freezing of accounts or suspension of financial transactions related to technology crime,” he said, stressing that the entire investigative process will be expedited. The police, he added, will work closely with the PCT Center (the anti-cybercrime task force) and then forward cases to the AOC, the central office handling these matters. This streamlined approach, he argued, would ease the backlog and help the AOC, which currently faces more cases than its hotline can handle.
In a statement echoed by Thai News Agency, National Police Spokesman Police Lieutenant General Achayon Kraithong explained that the police had been closely coordinating with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Bank of Thailand to ensure that the new procedures align with legal requirements and do not simply shift responsibility from one agency to another. “We will integrate our efforts with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the Bank of Thailand, and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission,” he said. “The National Police will act quickly to receive and process requests for account unfreezing, minimizing the travel and inconvenience for affected citizens.”
The urgency of the problem is not just bureaucratic—it’s deeply personal for many Thais. Over the past two days alone, police hotlines received approximately 1,300 calls from people seeking to clear their names. Of those, 300 were able to verify their innocence, while 1,000 remain unresolved. So far, 30 accounts have been unlocked, a number expected to rise rapidly under the new system.
General Kittirat acknowledged that the surge in cases has placed enormous strain on police investigators, who are already grappling with the evolving nature of cybercrime. “There have been calls from investigators nationwide about the increased workload,” he admitted. “But this is an internal management issue that the National Police must urgently address. We may need to increase the number of investigators to keep up.”
Still, the new approach is not without controversy. Some critics worry that the streamlined process could create loopholes for criminals to exploit, using the system to "launder" their identities or accounts. General Kittirat responded directly to these concerns: “We will implement strict controls to prevent criminals from taking advantage of these measures. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, it will be investigated without exception.”
Recent rumors have also surfaced alleging that some police officers have solicited bribes in exchange for unfreezing accounts. General Kittirat did not shy away from the issue. “If there is evidence, please send it to us. We will investigate whether any money paid was in accordance with the law or regulations. If not, we will take action without exception.”
Police Lieutenant General Achayon further clarified that the National Police understand the plight of innocent citizens whose accounts are used for legitimate work or daily expenses. The new guidelines, he said, are designed to ensure that those who are not involved in criminal activity can continue their lives with minimal disruption, while also closing off opportunities for bad actors to use the system for illicit gain.
The backdrop to this rapid policy shift is a broader national anxiety over cybercrime and the unintended consequences of aggressive enforcement. In recent months, Thailand has seen a sharp increase in technology-driven fraud, prompting authorities to clamp down on suspicious financial activity. However, the resulting account freezes have left many innocent people unable to access their savings, pay bills, or conduct business—leading to a groundswell of public outcry and demands for reform.
General Kittirat’s announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Thailand, just days after the country’s 68th general election. On September 16, the Election Commission of Thailand confirmed the official results of the vote, which took place on September 14. The election, involving 191 constituencies and 1,559 party-list seats, was conducted with an emphasis on transparency and fairness, according to official statements. Four parties passed the threshold: the Move Forward Party, Pheu Thai Party, Palang Pracharath Party, and Bhumjaithai Party, with the Move Forward Party securing the lead.
The convergence of these two major events—the aftermath of a closely watched election and the urgent police response to a national banking crisis—reflects the challenges facing Thailand’s institutions as they seek to balance public safety, personal rights, and the demands of a modern digital economy. With roughly 50 million registered voters and millions more banking customers, the stakes are high. The coming days will test whether the new police procedures can restore public confidence and offer real relief to those caught up in the fight against cybercrime.
For now, Thailand’s police leadership has made it clear: innocent citizens deserve swift justice and access to their financial lives, even as the nation’s guardians remain vigilant against the ever-evolving threat of technological crime.
