AFTER cutting electricity, Internet and fuel supply from five points to Myanmar border townships where scam centres are operating Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai is now expanding this strategy to three districts and an island in four provinces along the Thai-Cambodian border to suppress transnational criminals holed up across that border, Naewna newspaper said today (Feb. 12).
Pol. Gen. Thanathip Sawangsaeng, spokesman of the Defence Ministry, said a 165-kilometre fence is also being built with a budget of 286 million baht to strictly control the Thai-Cambodian border along Sa Kaeo province in suppressing transnational criminals and control illegal entry and exit.
After the National Security Council (NSC) on February 4 resolved to cut off electricity, Internet and fuel supply from five points to Tachileik, Myawaddy and Payathonzu townships across the Thai-Myanmar border, the government is now expanding this measure to Thai-Cambodian border, covering Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province; Chong Chom checkpoint at Kap Choeng district, Surin province; Chong Sangam checkpoint at Phu Sing district, Si Sa Ket province; and Koh Kong island, Trat province.
Phumtham together with Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Digital Economy and Society Prasert Chantarawongthong and Tourism and Sports Minister Surawong Thienthong visited Aranyaprathet border town, with the Cambodian town of Poipet being on the other side of the border, to monitor the border situation and implement measures to enhance security and the border economy. They also looked into the problem of over 55km overlapping border areas.
In addition, Provincial Police Region 2 has stepped up suppression of transnational crime under the policy “Seal Stop Safe” by setting up checkpoints, searching people and vehicles, installing wireless CCTV cameras and solar-powered power poles to increase the efficiency of surveillance.
In terms of cybercrime, Cyber Police (CyberCopTH) has used an AI system to analyse sounds, set up a Dummy Tower to capture fake signals and set up a special operation control centre.
At the same time the Office of The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has controlled telecommunications signals along the border to prevent the illegal use of cross-border telephone networks.
Regarding management of mule accounts and prevention of fraudulent transactions, the Thai Bankers Association together with government agencies have increased security measures for mobile banking to prevent money-sucking apps from draining cash from their victims’ accounts. There is also a 24-hour hotline to receive urgent complaints and information.
At present 1.75 million mule accounts have been suspended, resulting in a 13% reduction in the fraud rate per month and a 40% reduction since the start of the measure.
Phumtham and his team visited Benchawan market, next to Rong Kluea market, in Aranyaprathet, to inspect the dismantling of mobile cell poles and cutting off illegal Internet cables as part of the “Cutting the Call Centre Gangs’ Cycle, Closing the Vulnerability of Transnational Crime” strategy.
The inspection showed that all mobile cell poles used to transmit signals across to Cambodia had been dismantled after it was discovered that they may have been used to support scam gangs in Cambodia. Internet cables that did not have proper authorisation which could possibly be used as tools to defraud Thai people too had been cut off.
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Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and his team at Aranyaprathet today, Feb. 12, 2025. Photos: Naewna
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