The Thai government has announced that it aims to reduce the rate of cybercrime by 70% by 2025 through a series of new measures and legal frameworks.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, Sasi Gan, stated that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) plans to enhance the security of online transactions to ensure that the public can conduct digital activities smoothly under legal protection.
The top five most reported types of cyber fraud are:
1. Online shopping issues (received goods not as advertised, goods not received, counterfeit products): 15,050 cases, accounting for 42.56%;
2. Illegal website issues (gambling sites, money-siphoning sites, identity impersonation, false sales): 11,371 cases, accounting for 32.16%;
3. Other issues or inquiries (general information inquiries, threats or harassment): 3,039 cases, accounting for 8.59%;
4. Investment and online part-time job scams (investment job seeking, loan fraud, cryptocurrency investment scams): 1,564 cases, accounting for 4.42%;
5. Cybersecurity threats (computer crimes, money-siphoning apps, malicious software): 1,311 cases, accounting for 3.71%.
According to the latest "2024 Cyber Complaint Statistics Report" released by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), there were a total of 35,300 cyber complaints in 2024, a decrease of 21.74% compared to the 45,100 complaints in 2023. This data indicates that the government has made some progress in combating cybercrime.
To further enhance public trust, the Thai government will require all digital platform service providers to verify identities before providing services under the framework of the "Digital Platform Services Act," and establish a compensation mechanism that complies with regulations to protect consumer rights. Additionally, the government will promote the "ETDA DPS NOTIFIED" certification mark to raise the standards of digital platform services and help users identify and verify the legitimacy of platforms.
To improve response times, the Thai government will also enhance the functions of the 1212ETDA center, making it the primary institution for handling digital platform complaints. The new measures will help process cyber complaints more swiftly and reduce the occurrence of related crimes.
The Thai government's goal is to reduce the cybercrime rate by at least 70% by 2025 through newly enacted royal decrees and a series of stringent measures. Furthermore, the government will strengthen cooperation with relevant departments to implement effective anti-fraud measures, ensuring that major platforms can adopt reasonable prevention and compensation strategies.
If users encounter fraud or other cybercrimes, they can call the 1212 hotline or seek help through the platforms of the Electronic Transactions Development Agency at any time.
