Thailand Tightens Gold and Crypto Rules to Curb Illicit Funds
The Thai government has moved to tighten oversight of both gold trading and crypto activities, ordering a set of regulatory advances aimed at disrupting so-called "grey money" and other illicit financial flows. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas convened a high-level session of the "Connect the Dots" sub-committee over the weekend to push the package forward; officials say the tightening will target channels used to mask criminal proceeds. The measures matter because Thailand's large informal gold market and growing crypto ecosystem have been cited as vulnerabilities for money laundering and tax evasion. While authorities have not yet published full details, the move is likely to increase compliance requirements for dealers and exchanges and could squeeze peer-to-peer and over-the-counter activity. Observers say the next steps will be closely watched for their impact on market liquidity, remittance flows and the cost of doing business for legitimate traders.