US Ambassador to Thailand Sean K. O’Neill and FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at Government House yesterday, June 10, with talks expected to focus on cooperation against transnational crime.
Anutin arrived at Government House and chaired the weekly Cabinet meeting at 10am.
Police General Visanu Prasattongosoth, president of the FBI National Academy Associates of Thailand (FBI-NAAT), accompanied O’Neill, Bailey, and Benjamin G. Virtue, legal attaché at the US Embassy, to the meeting.
The visit followed their attendance on June 9 at the 26th FBI National Academy Associates (FBINAA) Asia Pacific Chapter Retraining Conference, which focused on tackling transnational criminal organisations in the digital age.
Reporters later asked Anutin what was discussed with the FBI deputy director, particularly on cooperation against transnational crime. He replied only that the delegation “praised Thailand in every area.”
Government spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek later said Anutin thanked the FBI National Academy Associates of Thailand for hosting the conference, which also marked the association’s 40th anniversary.
Anutin said modern threats are becoming more complex and borderless, especially cybercrime and transnational crime. He said no country can tackle these threats alone.
The Thai government, he added, is committed to strengthening cooperation with the FBI and international law enforcement networks by improving technology, personnel, and information-sharing mechanisms.
The prime minister also reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to work with the FBI National Academy Associates and global law enforcement networks to develop personnel, exchange knowledge and technology, and respond to emerging threats.
Conference organisers praised Thailand’s role as an important law enforcement partner in the region and thanked the country for cooperation on intelligence sharing, investigations, transnational crime networks, call centre gangs, human trafficking, and cybercrime.
They said the cooperation had helped improve prosecutions, asset tracing, and assistance for victims.
The conference served as a platform for law enforcement agencies from different countries to exchange knowledge and experience, strengthen personnel capacity, and reinforce international cooperation.
Thairath reported that more than 150 law enforcement representatives from 26 countries attended.
The story Anutin vows closer ties after meeting FBI deputy director as seen on Thaiger News.
