Thailand has updated its laws to hold banks, telecom companies, and social media platforms accountable for losses caused by call centre scams if their negligence or recklessness is proven.
The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society introduced the amendment as an update to an executive decree to combat technology-related crimes. According to Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong, the proposal received cabinet approval on Tuesday.
Under the new rules, financial institutions, telecom providers, and social media companies could face penalties if public financial losses are linked to their failure to follow anti-scam measures. The minister did not provide details on how accountability would be assessed.
Telecom operators and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission must deactivate SIM cards suspected of being used in scams. Authorities can also return stolen funds to victims without waiting for court cases to conclude.
The changes increase penalties for disclosing personal information without consent, with violators facing up to 5 million baht in fines and/or five years in prison. The law also bans digital asset trading through peer-to-peer lending platforms to stop scammers from converting stolen money into digital currency.
Minister Prasert stated that once the amendment goes into effect, it should help reduce technological crimes and protect the public from further losses.
According to the Bank of Thailand, Thai bank customers have lost more than 60 billion baht to online scams over the past two years. Government spokesman Jirayu Huangsub added that an estimated 60-70 million baht is lost daily to various forms of cybercrime.
The Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body, will review the amendment before it is published in the Royal Gazette. The new rules are expected to take effect within 30 days.
Thailand and China Target Scam Gangs in Myanmar
Meanwhile, China is asking Thailand to help take down 36 major call centre scam gangs. These groups have been targeting victims with elaborate scams, stealing millions. Chinese authorities have identified 36 major call-scam networks employing over 100,000 individuals to swindle money from victims.
Liu Zhongyi, China’s assistant minister of public security, revealed this while visiting Thailand to request support in cracking down on these operations.
During a meeting held on Monday at the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in Nonthaburi province, Liu shared this information with Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwpan, the bureau’s commissioner. The Chinese delegation, led by Liu, travelled to Thailand seeking collaboration to address call-scam rings operating out of Myanmar’s Myawaddy region, near Thailand’s Tak province.
These criminal scam gangs have reportedly tricked numerous Chinese citizens into crossing the border from Tak into Myanmar. Once there, victims are forced to work under harsh and often violent conditions in scam call centres.
Liu explained that these networks exploit their workers and harm those who fall victim to their scams. He referenced the case of Chinese actor Wang Xing, who was recently rescued after being lured to Myanmar by a fake casting offer.
Instead of an audition, Wang was detained by a scam syndicate. Incidents like this, Liu noted, have discouraged tourists from visiting Thailand, leading to a decline in visitor numbers.
The Chinese delegation urged the CCIB to act swiftly against scam ring leaders based in Thailand. They also requested the arrest and extradition of around 20 suspects linked to the Wang Xing case. Additionally, Liu called on Thai officials to identify Chinese victims still being held in Myanmar and work toward their release.
Liu requested that Thai authorities block the resources and communication channels these gangs rely on. The Chinese delegation also proposed setting up a joint coordination centre to strengthen their efforts in combating these scams.
In response, the CCIB suggested more information-sharing between the two countries, focusing on tracking scammers, disrupting human trafficking activities, and freezing the transfer of funds from victims to perpetrators. According to the CCIB, both sides agreed to collaborate on these measures.
