BANGKOK, Thailand – Ombudsman Chair Songsak Saicheua has proposed systemic policy recommendations and reaffirmed the Office of the Ombudsman’s role as a central coordinator between the public and private sectors to address technology-related crime and protect citizens’ rights.
The Ombudsman chairman, along with senior executives and experts from the Office, met with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Personal Data Protection Committee to discuss integrated data linkage and coordinated strategies to combat cybercrime. He emphasized that addressing technology-related crime is a shared responsibility of the State, with the Ombudsman providing oversight and coordination to achieve concrete results.
According to Royal Thai Police online complaint data, over 642,000 technology-related crime cases were reported between 2022 and 2024, with damages exceeding 71.6 billion baht. These figures highlight the structural nature of the problem and the need for sustained, integrated solutions.
In exercising its constitutional mandate under Section 230 and relevant organic laws, the Office of the Ombudsman has conducted a systemic study on State responsibilities in cyber threat prevention and integrated management by government agencies. As part of this effort, on January 7, 2026, the Ombudsman convened a coordination meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the Anti-Online Scam Operation Center.
The meeting reviewed progress on key measures, including the AOC hotline 1441, the DE-FENCE platform, AI-based website blocking, and personal data breach monitoring. Seven structural issues were discussed, ranging from personal data protection, cross-border cyber threats, inter-agency data integration, monitoring of risky online advertising, blocking scam calls and SMS, preliminary victim compensation mechanisms, and stricter enforcement of SIM card registration requirements.
The Office of the Ombudsman will compile its findings and recommendations into a report for submission to the Cabinet to strengthen integrated cybercrime prevention and ensure effective protection of citizens in the digital environment. (NNT)
