Digital Economy and Society Ministry

  • 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 NewsNew alert system to be rolled out for natural disasters in Thailand

    New alert system to be rolled out for natural disasters in Thailand

    The Government of Thailand is set to roll out SMS alerts for natural disasters, ensuring the public is warned of impending danger, Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Chanthararuangthong revealed today. Prasert, who also serves as deputy PM, announced that the decision was made during a high-stakes meeting yesterday, September 23, attended by key players such as the Disaster Prevention…

  • 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 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…

  • Business NewsThailand’s DES ministry to establish national AI committee

    Thailand’s DES ministry to establish national AI committee

    Plans are underway by the Digital Economy and Society (DES) Ministry in Thailand to establish a new national artificial intelligence (AI) committee. The initiative is part of the second phase of the national AI strategy. The strategy is a cornerstone of Thailand’s ASEAN Digital Economy and AI Hub Plan, a key driver for the country’s digital economy. The ministry also…

  • 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 NewsRevolutionising Thailand: Game-changing smart city plan unveiled

    Revolutionising Thailand: Game-changing smart city plan unveiled

    At the Thailand Smart City Expo 2023, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai laid bare the nation’s ambitious blueprint for smart cities. Packed with tax incentives and cutting-edge technology, this plan is set to reshape Thailand’s urban landscape. During his address at the Thailand Smart City Expo, Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai catapulted Thailand into a new era of urban development. Unveiling the…

  • 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 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 NewsThailand’s insurance sector embraces digital revolution to boost resilience and consumer experience

    Thailand’s insurance sector embraces digital revolution to boost resilience and consumer experience

    Thailand’s insurance sector is adopting digital tech to tackle artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber threats and deal with the medical costs of the nation’s ageing population. Further steps were taken to boost industry strength and user experience. The strategy is headed by the Office of the Insurance Commission (OIC). Suthiphon Thaveechaiyagarn, the OIC secretary-general, disclosed that the first part of…

  • 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,…

  • 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…

  • Bangkok NewsPM Prayut Chan-o-cha orders two agencies to lead crackdown on call-centre scams

    PM Prayut Chan-o-cha orders two agencies to lead crackdown on call-centre scams

    Following escalating public complaints that many Thais have fallen victim to phone scams that steal either money or personal information, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has assigned two government agencies to lead integrated operations to crack down on scammers and bring them to justice. According to Deputy Government Spokesperson Trisulee Trisaranakul, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry and the Royal Thai Police…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Technology NewsGovernment investigating loan-shark apps following complaints of online threats

    Government investigating loan-shark apps following complaints of online threats

    The Thai government is looking into a number of loan-shark apps, following complaints of data theft and threats being made on social media. Customers accuse the apps of stealing their data and sending them threatening messages via Line, Facebook, and SMS. According to a Nation Thailand report, when a customer downloads one of the loan-shark apps, it embeds malware in…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Thailand Protest NewsThai authorities push to ban, censor news outlets and social media

    Thai authorities push to ban, censor news outlets and social media

    Police are now cracking down on local media outlets covering the pro-democracy protests as well as activist group Facebook pages because they are a “threat to national security”. In addition to the police’s request to ban the content, the Digital Economy and Society Ministry is attempting to censor the Telegram social media application, saying it too poses a “threat to…

  • 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…

  • Technology NewsThailand Post introducing “smart” technology

    Thailand Post introducing “smart” technology

    Thailand Post says it is switching to “smart” mailboxes in an effort to make the state enterprise more hi-tech. The company says it’s working with the state-owned telecoms company CAT Telecom to produce the mailboxes that will use “Internet of Things” technology to detect when parcels are deposited. A report in Nation Thailand today explains that the boxes will be…