Thailand hosts the 2025 APG Typologies Workshop in Bangkok

More than 200 delegates from 29 members, six observers and over 30 private sector participants, attended the 2025 APG Typologies Workshop from 10-12 November 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.

This year’s discussions focussed on some of the region’s most pressing threats; cyber scam hubs and associated human trafficking, and illicit financial flows linked to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).

APG Co-Chair Mr Mitsutoshi Kajikawa from Japan, said the APG’s typologies work has been instrumental in helping the Asia-Pacific region disrupt cyber scam hubs and trace financial flows linked to human trafficking, cyber-enabled fraud and child exploitation.

“APG’s work on typologies this year, which shares real-world case studies and lived experiences, equips member jurisdictions to detect, disrupt, and dismantle criminal economies—protecting communities and safeguarding the integrity of the financial system across the Asia-Pacific,” he said.

The workshop included presentations and panel discussions with operational leaders and civil society, moderated by experts, and various networking opportunities.

Delegates heard opening remarks from Mr Theppasu Bavornchotidara, Secretary-General AMLO, Ms Delphine Schantz from the UNODC and Ms Melissa Sevil from the APG Secretariat. As well as keynote presentations from Mr Peerathorn Vimollohakarn from AMLO, Mr Stephen Munro from the APG Secretariat and Mr Lorenzo Placentini from the UNODC.  

APG Director of Typologies, Melissa Sevil, said the focus on OSAEC continues the work from the FATF report including law enforcement agency investigations and public private partnership activities on the use of financial indicators to detect and investigate this crime type.

“We know this year’s Typologies Workshop will drive continued action in our region to build capacity and strengthen relationships to combat this crime type,” she said.

“Not only are we reinforcing the power of regional collaboration, but each case study is a reminder that financial intelligence isn’t just about data — it’s about protecting lives and strengthening trust in our global economy.”

The event, which was hosted by the Anti-Money Laundering Office Thailand (AMLO) and APG, in cooperation with the United Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), was a great opportunity for officials and subject matter experts from across the APG network to share experiences and challenges in understanding and combating emerging trends for illicit financial flows.

The delegates divided into two streams
•    Cyber scam hubs and human trafficking, focused on the laundering of proceeds of crime stemming from cyber scam hubs and the associated human trafficking, and 
•    The illicit financial flows associated with online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), built upon the recently published FATF report.

The closing address was delivered by Mr Peerathorn Vimollohakarn from AMLO and APG Co-Chair Mr Mitsutoshi Kajikawa.

For more information and highlights of the 2025 workshop, follow the APG Secretariat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apg-secretariat/ or go to https://apgml.org/typologies/apg-typologies-reports.