DE Tightens Online Scam Crackdown, Blocks Over 883,000 Illegal URLs
DE has issued a new Ministerial Notification to speed up action against online scammers by accelerating the blocking of illegal URLs. More than 883,000 illegal URLs have already been blocked in fiscal year 2026.
Following directives from Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Mr.Anutin Charnvirakul and Minister of Digital Economy and Society Mr.Chaichanok Chidchob to intensify efforts against online crime, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has issued a new Ministerial Notification on Petitions to the Court for Orders to Suspend the Dissemination of or Remove Computer Data in Urgent Cases B.E. 2569 (2026), which has now come into effect.
Mr.Patchara Anuntasilpa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, said the notification was issued under Section 20 of the Computer Crime Act B.E. 2550 (2007), as amended, to strengthen and accelerate the process of blocking illegal URLs.
Under the new regulation, in urgent cases, officials authorized by the Permanent Secretary may immediately submit petitions and supporting evidence to the court to obtain orders blocking illegal URLs, while reporting the action to the Minister without delay.
The notification also addresses previous procedural delays caused by the rapid growth in the number of illegal URLs—from tens of thousands to millions. It introduces a fast-track process and clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), while strengthening cooperation with international social media platforms and domestic Internet Service Providers (ISPs).
The new framework enables rapid suspension of clearly unlawful content without waiting for lengthy administrative procedures and covers a wide range of online threats, including mule accounts, DeepFake investment scams, e-cigarette advertisements, fraudulent SMS messages, and scam applications.
During fiscal year 2026 (1 October 2025 – 13 July 2026), the DE Ministry, together with relevant agencies and digital platform providers, blocked a total of 883,012 illegal URLs. Online gambling accounted for the largest share, with more than 600,000 gambling-related URLs blocked under court orders.
“This new Ministerial Notification provides an important legal mechanism that will significantly improve the efficiency of blocking illegal URLs. It shortens response times from several days to just a few hours, helping prevent people from falling victim to online scammers while strengthening confidence in Thailand's digital economy. It will also create a safer online environment for both the public and businesses conducting digital transactions,” Mr.Patchara said.
ข่าวภาษาไทย / Thai Version
