On April 2, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Buddhipongse Punnakanta, stated that the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) is fully committed to combating cybercrime, strictly implementing the policy directives of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, with a focus on shutting down illegal social media pages, web pages, and websites to disrupt the operations of criminal networks.
Data shows that from October 2024 to March 2025 (the first six months of the fiscal year 2025), the Thai government has blocked a total of 101,026 illegal social media pages and websites, averaging 16,837 per month, which is a 1.62-fold increase compared to the same period last year, which had 62,438 blocks.
Looking at the types of websites blocked:
Online gambling: 42,098, a 1.45-fold increase year-on-year;
Online fraud: 24,887, a 0.9-fold decrease year-on-year;
Other illegal content: 34,041, a 5.95-fold increase year-on-year.
Buddhipongse emphasized that the government will continue to strengthen the monitoring and enforcement of cybercrime, reminding the public to stay away from illegal websites and social media pages to avoid violating the Computer Crime Act. Especially in terms of online gambling, whether it involves operating, participating, or disseminating related information, it constitutes an illegal act.
According to the Gambling Act, offenders may face up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 5,000 Thai Baht, or both. The government will maintain a "zero tolerance" attitude towards illegal activities to ensure the safety and order of cyberspace.
