Thai PM targeted by AI-driven scam mimicking world leader's voice

In a stark reminder of the growing threat of phone scams, even world leaders aren't immune. Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, recently disclosed receiving a fraudulent call from an AI system impersonating a well-known global figure.

While Paetongtarn didn’t name the leader being mimicked, she recounted how the voice was eerily familiar. “The voice was crystal clear, and I recognized it immediately,” she said. The initial message was friendly, with a casual, “How are you? I want to work together.” However, things took a darker turn when a follow-up message demanded a donation, claiming Thailand was the only ASEAN country yet to contribute.

Realizing the deception, Paetongtarn suspected AI was used to replicate the leader’s voice. This incident underscores a broader issue plaguing Southeast Asia, where sophisticated scams have become increasingly common.

Transnational crime syndicates have leveraged advancements in technology and the instability in Myanmar to create a billion-dollar scamming industry. Scammers lure unsuspecting victims, including ordinary people seeking legitimate jobs, only to trap them in fraudulent operations across the region.

Earlier this year, a Chinese actor flew to Bangkok for what he believed was a movie audition, only to be trafficked to a scam center in Myanmar's Myawaddy, a notorious cyber-fraud hub. Many victims are forced into labor, scamming others and generating millions in cryptocurrency fraud.

While traditional scam tactics like phone calls and messaging persist, the advent of AI-powered voice cloning poses a new challenge. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, had previously cautioned against releasing its Voice Engine tool publicly, citing potential misuse in synthetic voice scams.

Paetongtarn, who took office as Prime Minister in August 2024, is the latest in her family’s political lineage to lead Thailand, following in the footsteps of her father and aunt. Her experience highlights the growing risks of AI-driven scams, as technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace.