Thai war on cybercrime accelerates with 80,000 sites blocked in 5 months

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has hit back against surging online crime by blocking over 80,000 illegal websites, pages and URLs in the past five months, the government announced on Wednesday.

This represents a 1.5-fold increase from the same period last year, signalling a determined effort to "close the noose on cybercriminals", said Sasikarn Wattanachan, deputy spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office.

The ministry blocked 80,669 illegal online platforms, averaging 16,133 blocks per month, between October and February. 

The crackdown came in response to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s directive for urgent action against soaring cybercrime. 

Breakdown of blocked content (October 2024-February 2025):

• Online gambling: 31,832 items blocked, a 1.3-fold increase from the previous year.
• Online misinformation and fraud: 21,939 items blocked, dropping from 25,017 items blocked in the same period last year.
• Other illegal content: 26,898 items blocked, a 6.565-fold increase from the previous year’s 4,097 items.

Sasikarn Wattanachan

The spokesperson said the crackdown highlighted the government’s commitment to safeguarding citizens from the growing threat of online criminal activity.

The ministry’s proactive approach aims to create a safer digital environment by disrupting and dismantling the infrastructure used by cybercriminals, she added.