Digital Economy and Society Ministry

  • Thailand NewsRolling the dice: Thailand to legalise online gambling

    Rolling the dice: Thailand to legalise online gambling

    In a landmark move, the Thai Cabinet approved amendments to ministerial regulations aimed at legalising online gambling, with changes expected to be completed within a month. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES) Prasert Chantararuangthong revealed the decision today, following discussions at the Cabinet meeting yesterday, January 13. The amendments, spearheaded by the Ministry of Digital…

  • Thailand NewsThailand Post to overhaul framework in modernisation efforts

    Thailand Post to overhaul framework in modernisation efforts

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry tasked Thailand Post with overhauling the outdated Postal Act of 1934. The initiative aims to enhance the regulation of postal and logistics services, aligning them with the current business environment. The Postal Act of 1934 was the first comprehensive piece of legislation governing postal services in Thailand. It established the framework for the operation…

  • Business NewsThailand on the offensive with DE-fence against call centre scams

    Thailand on the offensive with DE-fence against call centre scams

    In a bold move to tackle the ever-growing menace of call centre scams, the government’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry is pulling out all the stops by developing a cutting-edge platform, DE-fence. Slated for an early 2025 debut, this high-tech watchdog will act as a first line of defence against dodgy calls and deceitful texts. It promises to arm the…

  • Thailand NewsExperts demand green vision for Thailand’s smart cities

    Experts demand green vision for Thailand’s smart cities

    Smart cities must do more than shine with technology, they need to be green, open, and truly life-enhancing, experts emphasised at the Thailand Smart City Expo 2025 seminar, hosted by the Nation Group’s PostToday and Springnews. The event, held yesterday, November 12, gathered experts, public officials, and private sector leaders to shape Thailand’s future through sustainable urban development. Chula Sukmanop,…

  • Thailand NewsThai government to tighten grip on online scammers

    Thai government to tighten grip on online scammers

    The Government of Thailand is set to unleash new laws in its war against online scams, with a toughened stance on cyber criminals. Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Economy (MDES) Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, vowed to not only protect consumers but also tackle the soaring number of fraud cases that threaten the nation’s economic security. Responding to concerns raised by Senator…

  • Thailand NewsThailand banks could be forced to share hacking costs

    Thailand banks could be forced to share hacking costs

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong has thrown his weight behind a groundbreaking proposal that could see commercial banks sharing the financial burden when their customers’ accounts are hacked. Prasert, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, publicly backed opposition MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn’s suggestion during a heated House debate. Wiroj, from the People’s Party, argued that banks…

  • Thailand NewsGame on: Thailand to level up with new Game Industry Act

    Game on: Thailand to level up with new Game Industry Act

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry is set to draft the Game Industry Act, aiming to address the rapid growth of the video game sector, valued at 40 billion baht annually. The initiative also seeks to position Thailand as a key player in the regional gaming market, according to the ministry. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President and Chief Executive of the Digital…

  • Thailand NewsLocal Thai agencies blamed for majority of state data breaches

    Local Thai agencies blamed for majority of state data breaches

    Local administrative organisations (LAOs) have emerged as the primary culprits behind the most significant personal data leaks among state agencies, according to the Digital Economy and Society Ministry (MDES). The MDES conducted an extensive review of 31,561 state-run units from last November to yesterday, August 27, uncovering a total of 6,086 instances of personal data breaches. Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong revealed…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s cybercrime problem persists despite efforts

    Thailand’s cybercrime problem persists despite efforts

    Thailand’s digital economy and society (DES) minister, Prasert Jantararuangthong, revealed that despite efforts to curb cybercrime, the problem remains rampant with damages averaging 100 million baht daily. The Anti-Online Scam Operation Centre (AOC), set up to address this issue, is yet to see a decline in the number of cases. The ongoing scams are attributed to the scammers’ increasingly sophisticated…

  • Thailand NewsMassive crackdown on scam calls: Over 13,000 SIM cards suspended

    Massive crackdown on scam calls: Over 13,000 SIM cards suspended

    In a move to combat the surge in mobile phone-related online scams, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) has unleashed a crackdown, suspending services for 13,237 SIM cards that were being misused to make over 100 calls daily. Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong revealed on January 25 that the suspension spree commenced on January 20 as…

  • Thailand NewsCall scams: Ministry’s shocking move to suspend thousands of numbers

    Call scams: Ministry’s shocking move to suspend thousands of numbers

    In a bold move to tackle the rising tide of call scams, the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry unveiled a groundbreaking plan: any telephone number making over 100 calls per day will face immediate suspension. DES Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong dropped this bombshell yesterday, December 12, revealing that an astonishing 80,000 individuals had reported falling victim to call scams within…

  • Thailand NewsThai digital delights: DEPA and partners unlock future of gaming, animation, characters

    Thai digital delights: DEPA and partners unlock future of gaming, animation, characters

    The Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), in collaboration with esteemed partners including the Thai Digital Content Association (DCAT), Thai Animation and Computer Graphics Association (TACGA), Thai Game Software Industry Association (TGA), Bangkok ACM SIGGRAPH, and Atwise Consulting Company, has unveiled a comprehensive survey and evaluation report on the state of the Thai digital content industry encompassing games, animation, and characters…

  • Business NewsThailand’s DES minister vows to combat online scams

    Thailand’s DES minister vows to combat online scams

    Newly appointed Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister, Prasert Chanthararuangthong, pledged to prioritise the suppression of online fraud and call centre scams. As part of the Pheu Thai Party‘s commitments, the DES ministry is also expected to cooperate with related agencies to roll out a digital wallet scheme by 2024, with an initial rollout anticipated for early next year. The…

  • Business NewsDigital economy minister urged to support SMEs and combat online scams in Thailand

    Digital economy minister urged to support SMEs and combat online scams in Thailand

    The newly appointed Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister is being urged by industry leaders to combat online scams, bolster cross-border e-commerce for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and provide additional incentives to businesses for technological investments. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is also looking to collaborate with the minister, Prasert Chanthararuangthong, on various initiatives to bridge the…

  • Business NewsThailand’s DES Ministry plans legal action against Facebook over scam complicity

    Thailand’s DES Ministry plans legal action against Facebook over scam complicity

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry is preparing a legal case seeking the shutdown of Facebook within the country, accusing the social media giant of collusion with fraudulent operators. The ministry alleges that Facebook has been complicit in aiding scammers, who utilised the platform’s sponsored pages to deceive Thai citizens into making investments. The ministry plans to invoke the…

  • Business NewsDES ministry set to combat cybercrime with new AI registry

    DES ministry set to combat cybercrime with new AI registry

    The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) in Thailand is gearing up to introduce the Central Fraud Registry, a technological solution designed to combat scams and tackle illegal transactions. This innovation stems from the National Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange, a collaboration between the Thai Bankers’ Association (TBA) and the Bank of Thailand. As stated by notable DES figures,…

  • Thailand NewsExperts argue that vaping should remain illegal

    Experts argue that vaping should remain illegal

    Several experts argued that vaping devices and e-cigarettes should remain illegal in Thailand. At a forum in Bangkok on Monday they say the devices are very harmful to people’s health and should remain prohibited items. The Director of the Office of Consumer Protection Board’s (OCPB) Legal Execution Division reminded that Thailand currently bans the import, sale, and use of any…

  • Business NewsRich rewards offered for info on currency counterfeiters

    Rich rewards offered for info on currency counterfeiters

    With large numbers of fake banknotes now circulating in Thailand, especially in the north of the country, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry Saturday announced a counterfeit rewards system for those canny enough to spot the fakes and turn them in. If you come up with information on counterfeit banknotes, you can expect to be rewarded with up to 100,000…

  • Thailand NewsGovernment mulls legalising e-cigarettes to reduce number of cigarette smokers

    Government mulls legalising e-cigarettes to reduce number of cigarette smokers

    A Thai government ministry is discussing the legalisation of e-cigarettes in a bid to reduce the number of cigarette smokers in the country. According to a Nation Thailand report, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry wants to be able to offer smokers an alternative to cigarettes. The development has been welcomed by Asa Salikupt from the End Cigarette Smoke Thailand…

  • Thailand NewsArmy files defamation complaint against social media users over “fake news”

    Army files defamation complaint against social media users over “fake news”

    Following rumours spread on social media saying Thai soldiers travelling to the US for Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines when they were actually going overseas for parachute training, the Royal Thai Army filed a defamation complaint against 9 people who allegedly spread the so-called “fake news.” A representative from the army filed a complaint with the Nang Loeng police station yesterday on…

  • Technology NewsGovernment considering linking ID details to social media profiles

    Government considering linking ID details to social media profiles

    In what it says is an attempt to address fake news, fraud, and unlawful content, the government is considering linking people’s ID cards to their social media profiles. According to a Bangkok Post report, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry claims doing this would also boost e-commerce on social media. Minister Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn says a draft regulation on the subject…

  • Hot NewsThai government monitoring “Let’s Move Abroad” Facebook group

    Thai government monitoring “Let’s Move Abroad” Facebook group

    The Thai government is keeping an eye on a new Facebook group created by Thai citizens frustrated by the administration’s handling of Covid-19. In addition, many people in the “Let’s Move Abroad” group have voiced their anger at how the ongoing political unrest is being dealt with and in particular, how pro-democracy detainees are being treated. The Digital Economy and…

  • Technology NewsPersonal Data Protection Act might be delayed to give businesses more time to prepare

    Personal Data Protection Act might be delayed to give businesses more time to prepare

    The launch of Thailand’s Personal Data Protection Act, set to go into effect in June, might be delayed to allow small and medium-sized more time to prepare for the new regulations. The new Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaiwut Thanakhamanusorn says that if the public has negative views about the new legislation, then the ministry might discuss whether to defer…

  • Thailand NewsThai police arrest 35 people for allegedly spreading fake news on Covid-19

    Thai police arrest 35 people for allegedly spreading fake news on Covid-19

    Thai police arrested 35 people for allegedly spreading false information about the coronavirus. Some posts shared online claimed that migrant workers had broken out of a quarantine facility, another claimed that the coronavirus is actually not a virus, but a bacteria somehow connected to 5G spectrum radio frequencies. Only 4 people actually wrote posts online with false information while the…

  • Thailand NewsThai officials crackdown on “lèse majesté” social media pages and posts

    Thai officials crackdown on “lèse majesté” social media pages and posts

    In a crackdown on social media posts critical of the Thai Monarchy, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society says they plan to pursue legal action against Facebook and Twitter for failing to remove content that violates the country’s draconian lèse majesté law. Social media users who make insulting posts about the Thai Monarchy can also be charged. So far, the…

  • Technology NewsPersonal data of 13 million online users leaked in data breach

    Personal data of 13 million online users leaked in data breach

    The Digital Economy and Society Minister is calling in the experts after revelations that a data breach means the personal data of over 13 million online users has been compromised. The details of the accounts have been found up for sale on an underground website, according to a Thai PBS World report. The news has sparked condemnation of Thailand’s cybersecurity.…

  • Hot NewsMore websites get the Pornhub treatment as Thailand blocks a further 209 “offensive” and “misleading” sites

    More websites get the Pornhub treatment as Thailand blocks a further 209 “offensive” and “misleading” sites

    The Digital Economy and Society Ministry is on a roll, announcing plans to cut access to a further 209 websites following a block on adult website Pornhub. However, the names of the “misleading” or “offensive” websites which have incurred the ministry’s wrath have not been confirmed. Earlier this week, a group gathered outside the DES ministry offices to protest against…

  • Technology NewsDigital Economy Ministry dismisses “fake news” that mobile phones cause cancer

    Digital Economy Ministry dismisses “fake news” that mobile phones cause cancer

    Thailand’s Digital Economy and Society Ministry says people shouldn’t fall for claims that leaving your mobile phone beside your head at night will result in cancer. The ministry is urging people not to believe that electromagnetic waves from the phone will cause brain cancer, adding that such a claim constitutes “fake news”, and saying citizens should refrain from sharing it…

  • Thailand News1,202 gambling websites to be blocked in Thailand

    1,202 gambling websites to be blocked in Thailand

    Thailand is cracking down on online gambling websites. Internet providers will have 15 days to block 1,202 gambling websites before charges are pressed for violating Thailand’s Computer Crime Act. Although gambling is technically illegal in Thailand, underground and online gambling thrives in pockets of the country. The Digital Economy and Society Ministry was ordered by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to crack…