DE DEPUTY MINISTER LAUNCHES AFNC WORKSHOP TO COMBAT FAKE NEWS

DE Deputy Minister Opens AFNC Workshop to Strengthen Urban Community Networks Against Fake News, Reports Over 50% Drop in Online Scam Losses

          DE Deputy Minister launches an Anti-Fake News Center (AFNC) workshop to strengthen public awareness and urban community networks against misinformation, revealing that financial losses from online crime fell by more than 50% during the first half of 2026. 

          On 21 September 2026, Ms. Nan Boontida Somchai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DE), presided over the opening of the 4th Workshop on Raising Awareness and Strengthening the Ability to Identify and Respond to Fake News for Government Personnel and Members of the Public, organized under the Anti-Fake News Center (AFNC) Project. The event was attended by Ms. Piyada Sudkangwan, Communications Advisor to the DE Ministry, executives of state enterprises, heads of government agencies in Bangkok, representatives of relevant organizations, and members of the public at the Magic 2 Meeting Room, 2nd Floor, Miracle Grand Convention Hotel, Bangkok.

          The DE Deputy Minister said the workshop marked another initiative by the Anti-Fake News Center Thailand (AFNC) to strengthen public resilience against misinformation and online threats. The event brought together agencies that have continuously collaborated with AFNC to provide knowledge and practical guidance, alongside representatives from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), community leaders, and public networks. This cooperation aims to establish stronger urban community networks capable of recognizing, preventing, and responding to fake news.

          “Today, we encounter fake news in many different forms. Some false information causes financial losses, some creates conflicts within families, and some distorts people’s understanding of important issues. Various agencies have therefore been working to educate the public about the tactics used by scammers.

          “For example, scammers may impersonate electricity authorities, including the Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA), and send SMS messages containing links that falsely claim recipients need to replace their electricity meters or take other actions. The Government has already made it clear that government agencies will not send SMS messages containing links to the public under any circumstances,” the Deputy Minister said.

          She emphasized the importance of verifying information before believing or sharing it. People should remain cautious, assess whether information is credible, and check facts through official and reliable sources, including mainstream media and established news organizations.

          For information shared on Facebook, the public should consult official agency pages with verified blue checkmarks. On TikTok, people can follow scam alerts from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), while AFNC also provides fact-checking information and warnings through its various social media channels.

          Meanwhile, AFNC has partnered with Traffy Fondue to provide an additional channel for reporting fake news, misleading information, and online crime through the LINE application. Members of the public can submit reports, attach supporting evidence, and track the status of their cases, helping AFNC communicate more effectively with communities nationwide.

          The Deputy Minister noted that raising awareness of fake news and misinformation through urban community networks is another important measure by the DE Ministry to disrupt opportunities for online criminals. Strengthening public knowledge and community participation can help reduce financial losses and other harmful impacts on citizens.

          “Through the online crime prevention and suppression measures implemented by the DE Ministry and relevant agencies under the committee established pursuant to Section 13 of the Emergency Decree, financial losses from online crime declined by more than 50% during the first six months of 2026, from over 1.6 billion baht to 457 million baht in June 2026,” the DE Deputy Minister concluded.