crackdown March 29, 2025

Thailand Stops Cybercrime, Saving ฿3 Billion

Government actions, including border disruptions and account freezes, reduced online crime losses by ฿3 billion.

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Thailand’s intensified crackdown on cybercrime has yielded significant results, saving citizens over ฿3 billion (approximately US$XX million) between October 2024 and February 2025. This achievement, reported by the Bangkok Post, follows increased efforts by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to combat online fraud, according to Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.

This substantial victory in the fight against digital fraud—a scourge impacting individuals and businesses globally—is attributed by the Minister to robust measures developed by the committee on technology crime prevention and suppression. These measures have significantly curtailed financial losses from online criminal activity.

Royal Thai Police (RTP) data reveals that financial losses from online crimes during this period totaled ฿11.3 billion, a ฿3.3 billion decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. This represents a drop in daily losses from an average of ฿117 million in early 2024 to ฿65 million in February 2025—a remarkable 45% reduction.

The government’s multi-pronged approach has proven effective. Key strategies include:

Freezing mule accounts used for money laundering.
Blocking fraudulent SIM cards and disrupting telecom signals used in scams.
Promoting cash-on-delivery services for online shopping to mitigate online payment fraud.
Collaborative efforts with agencies to monitor, investigate, and track online crimes.
Disrupting operations in the Thai-Myanmar border area by cutting electricity, internet, and fuel supplies to hinder criminal activity.

“Through integrated efforts with relevant agencies in monitoring, investigating, and tracking online crimes, along with operations to cut electricity, internet signals, and fuel exports in the Thai-Myanmar border area, financial losses have significantly decreased,” stated Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong.

This aggressive approach mirrors global efforts. The United States and the United Kingdom, for example, have also intensified cybersecurity initiatives in response to the growing threat of online fraud. Like Thailand’s focus on disrupting criminal infrastructure, international collaborations often target the financial networks supporting these illicit activities.

The Ministry anticipates a further decline in online crime-related damages following the publication of a new decree on technological crime prevention in the Royal Gazette next month. This legislation is expected to strengthen the legal framework for combating cybercrime and provide law enforcement with additional tools.

In a related development, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) transferred ฿33 million to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) to compensate victims of call center scams. This followed an investigation into the Crown 168 online gambling network, resulting in the arrest of 64 suspects, the seizure of over ฿100 million in assets, and the identification of 27 mule accounts involved in financial fraud. Victims can apply for compensation from Amlo until June 23rd.

This proactive approach offers hope in the global fight against cybercrime. While challenges remain, the significant reduction in financial losses demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated efforts and decisive action.

In Summary:

Thailand’s intensified campaign against online crime has resulted in substantial financial savings for its citizens. This success highlights the effectiveness of the government’s multifaceted strategy, encompassing the freezing of mule accounts, blocking of fraudulent SIM cards, and collaborative efforts to track and disrupt criminal activities.