Associated Incidents
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has called on Asean to tackle online scams and misinformation, a day after she spoke about an attempted ruse asking Bangkok to make "a donation".
Recounting the scam incident on Wednesday, Paetongtarn said she had received a message delivered in a "very clear" voice similar to that of a well-known world leader on her phone, according to a CNN report.
Paetongtarn said the message was likely generated by an artificial intelligence system. After missing a phone call from the same number, the Thai leader received another message.
"They sent another voice message asking for a donation, saying, 'You are the only country in [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations] that hasn't donated yet,' emphasising it. I was taken aback for a moment and realised something was off," she added.
Thai authorities are currently investigating the attempt to scam Paetongtarn using deepfake technology, according to a report by Bangkok Post.
Trairong Phiewphan, commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, said on Thursday that the agency believed the incident involved a crime syndicate operating in a neighbouring country.
In response to queries on how Paetongtarn's personal data was leaked, Trairong said such information could be found online.
During a meeting of Asean digital ministers in Bangkok on Thursday, Paetongtarn called for comprehensive measures to tackle online scams and build a sustainable digital economy.
"Online scams are now a serious threat to not only individuals but also to public confidence in the digital economy, which requires concerted efforts to deal with," she said.
Urging the responsible use of artificial intelligence, Paetongtarn said Thailand would host a global forum in June to discuss ethics in the use of the technology in partnership with Unesco and invited Asean representatives to attend the event.
The threat of scams has put Thailand in the spotlight in recent months after a number of visitors to the country were lured into Myanmar and forced to work for crime syndicates.
Thai authorities have taken steps to assure visitors - particularly from China -- after Chinese TV actor Wang Xing became a victim of human trafficking and was rescued from 'Scam City' in Myawaddy, a town in Myanmar near the Thai border.