Prasert outlines government efforts to fight online crime
Minister of digital economy says many criminal accounts have been frozen
Prasert Jantararuangtong , deputy prime minister and minister of digital economy and society, has explained the government's ongoing efforts in preventing and suppressing various forms of online threats.
In the policy-statement session before Parliament on Friday, he cited the establishment of the AOC (Anti-Online Scam) 1441 Centre as an example.
This centre is a one-stop service that integrates operations with various agencies, especially the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC), and operates a 24-hour war room.
Prasert said the government has been freezing criminal accounts, improving the efficiency of arrests, and expediting compensation for victims by returning their money.
Over the past 10 months, more than 980,000 citizens have used the service, averaging 3,000 cases per day. More than 290,000 mule accounts have been frozen, significantly mitigating the damage caused.
Regarding the crackdown on mule accounts, more than 920,000 accounts have been frozen to stop fraudulent transfers. For issues related to mule SIM cards, around 71,000 phone numbers that made more than 100 calls per day have been suspended, and individuals holding more than 100 SIM cards were required to verify their identity.
So far, 1,100,000 numbers belonging to those who failed to verify have been suspended.
The Anti-Fake News Centre, which aims to raise public awareness and build resilience, has screened more than 1.14 billion pieces of information on social media and blocked various undesirable content.
Additionally, measures to address issues related to misleading or inaccurate online purchases will be implemented on October 3. These measures will allow buyers to inspect goods before making payment, and if the product does not match the order, payment can be halted within five days.
Regarding data-breach prevention, the ministry has been inspecting and protecting the public’s data. So far, 43,561 units have been checked, with a noticeable decrease in leaked data.
The minister also addressed the ongoing Cloudfirst Policy, noting that a committee has been established to maintain global standards and ensure a secure ecosystem.
As for mobile alert systems, some operator trials have been conducted, and the system is expected to be fully connected by the first quarter of 2025. The second quarter will see the testing of the cell broadcast system.
Prasert confirmed that in addition to the ongoing initiatives, new policies have been introduced, such as establishing mechanisms to hold telecommunications companies and commercial banks accountable.
