Recently, shocking revelations have emerged on Thai social platforms: a surge of advertisements for "opening Thai bank accounts on behalf" has appeared on Chinese social media, boasting "30-minute express account opening" "no visa and identity proof required", and even openly pricing a full set of illegal operation services, causing an uproar in Thai public opinion.
These advertisements blatantly circumvent Thai financial regulations, claiming to bypass the formal identity verification process, and the hidden risks of money laundering and telecom fraud behind them have enraged Thai netizens, who are demanding a thorough investigation by the government.
More worryingly, there have been successive scandals in Thailand involving bank staff colluding with criminal gangs to assist Chinese nationals in illegally opening accounts, which has led to increasing doubts among the local population about the security of the financial system.
Although the Thai authorities have not yet formally responded, industry insiders predict that stricter account control measures will be introduced, including strengthening the identity verification mechanism for overseas users, to prevent Thailand from becoming a "hub for laundering funds" for cross-border telecom fraud.
The current account transactions that skirt the legal gray areas not only expose regulatory loopholes in the Thai banking system but may also become a new channel for international criminal organizations to transfer illicit funds. Joint efforts by China and Thailand to combat cross-border financial crime are urgently needed.
