Yes. Thailand’s banking scene just pulled something straight out of a crime thriller. Three million bank accounts?
Frozen. Poof. Just like that. All part of this massive anti-scam crackdown hitting the Kingdom like a ton of bricks.
Banks slapped daily transfer limits on everyone, people throwing up their hands, grumbling, what now?
You wanna send money or pay for your morning coffee? Good luck, pal.
Panic
Now, innocent online sellers and merchants got caught in the crossfire too.
The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau says these scammers got slicker, laundering stolen cash through legit-looking purchases.
Sounds like your average messy office politics, right? Sometimes the innocent get blamed when the crooks get crafty.
And the Bank of Thailand? They’re warning even more freezes could be coming while they widen that dragnet.
More people could face frozen bank accounts as authorities widen investigations into transfers linked to mule accounts, in an effort to recover money for scam victims, the Bank of Thailand (BoT) has warned.
Listen to the story or get the full story in the 1st comment.… pic.twitter.com/u5XPnmfTDt
— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) September 14, 2025
Meanwhile, people heard that and panicked like their favorite sports team just blew a last-minute lead.
Digital Economy and Society Ministry’s Wisit Wisitsora-at stepped up with some soothing words, saying that don’t freak out.
They say this freeze is temporary. The banks can hold money for three days, cops for seven, then everything gets sorted if you’re clean. Yes, and the officials’ accounts are also frozen, and I’m Santa, right? Right?
Debanking
Scam call centers, mostly Chinese-affiliated and hiding out in neighboring countries, have targeted Thailand hard this year.
Police teamed up with Japan and India earlier this month, launching a round-the-clock operation to shut these bad actors down. It’s like detective work for the digital age.
But hey, expats in Thailand? They’re losing their minds. Locked out of accounts, forced to register biometrics, all kinds of hoops just to move money around. Social media’s buzzing with debanking horror stories.
It’s like showing up to work only to find your desk taken and your files missing.
Scammers
Enter Bitcoin, the shiny rebel on the block. Investors and crypto fans are practically throwing a party.
“Thanks, Bank of Thailand, for the free Bitcoin commercial,” quipped Daniel Batten, crypto investor.
The Central Bank of Thailand freezes 3 Million Bank Accounts and begins setting Daily Limits. This should be an international story. Thank god for Bitcoin. pic.twitter.com/GUwtGTQmbN
— Jimmy Kostro ⚡️ (@JimmyKostro) September 14, 2025
Jimmy Kostro from the Thailand Bitcoin Learning Center called it a global headline, thank god for Bitcoin.
But hold up, the law still bans digital currency for payments. It’s like giving you a fancy car but saying, no driving allowed.
Why the crackdown? Call center fraud exploded with scammers using mule accounts to launder money.
Banks slammed a 50,000 baht, about $1,570 limit on transfers last month. Some merchants stopped accepting QR payments. Fear’s got people grabbing cash and running.
In response, the central bank and Cyber Crime Bureau are chatting, trying to craft a fix for freezing innocent people’s accounts and those pesky transfer limits.
Like a boss negotiating peace in a turf war, making sure law-abiding customers don’t get caught in the crossfire.
Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
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Cryptocurrency and Web3 expert, founder of Kriptoworld
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With years of experience covering the blockchain space, András delivers insightful reporting on DeFi, tokenization, altcoins, and crypto regulations shaping the digital economy.
📅 Published: September 16, 2025 • 🕓 Last updated: September 16, 2025
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