The number of complaints concerning call centres and online scams has increased to reach close to the same level as recorded in December 2024, despite having dropped to its lowest point in February 2025, according to Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC).
NBTC commissioner Pol Gen Nathathorn Prousoontorn attributed the rise to a lack of coordination in terms of arresting fraudsters and scammers in some areas.
He added that call centre gangs have also constantly adapted their strategies and are still able to use communication networks via tools such as low-Earth-orbit satellites.
The NBTC is urgently requiring telecom operators to comply with additional measures.
The measures were launched to complement the amended emergency decree on the prevention and suppression of cybercrime, which came into force on April 13.
The number of complaints and rate of damage soared between 2023 and 2024 before declining from the middle of last year, due to serious collaboration between state agencies to launch stricter measures to combat the scams.
Pol Gen Nathathorn said that most of the arrested parties were offenders related to mule accounts, but the main perpetrators have not been dealt with. These perpetrators can continue to operate in borderless communication networks.
“Our country is a large market. These people will not easily abandon this market. However, we must seriously and continuously implement preventive measures in cooperation with all agencies,” he said.
The NBTC has also drafted new regulations for telecom operators in order to support the enforcement of the amended emergency decree on cybercrime.
The measures include a requirement that telecom operators must screen suspicious calling behaviour and immediately suspend the service provided to such callers.
Telecom operators must immediately suspend the service for suspicious users upon being notified by the NBTC that they are suspicious numbers.
The operators are required to check newly-registered numbers within the first week of their registration to see whether the information registered is correct or not.
In addition, the operator must not allow unauthorised SIM boxes to connect to the telecom network.
The NBTC will also enforce measures to manage SIM cards for foreigners by limiting the number of registrations to no more than three SIM cards per person per mobile service provider, and require the use of an actual passport to verify the identity of the person seeking to register a SIM card.
Tourists will not be able to use a SIM used as part of a tourist package or a tourist SIM card for more than 60 days without being able to top up to extend the usage period.
In the case that the user wishes to continue using the tourist SIM once the usage period expires, they will have to register to verify their identity with the service provider again before being able to extend the usage period.
These additional rules have been listed as items of the NBTC board meeting agenda, but the board has yet to approve them.
