DES minister threatens to revoke licences of mobile operators over scam signal leaks

DES minister warns operators over cross-border signal leaks

Digital Economy and Society (DES) Minister Chaichanok Chidchob on Sunday threatened to revoke the licences of mobile phone operators if they fail to stop their mobile internet signals from reaching scam networks across Thailand’s borders.

Chaichanok issued the warning after chairing a meeting of the technology crime suppression committee.

He said the meeting discussed the problem of mobile internet signals leaking into neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar and Cambodia, where call-centre gangs use them to target Thai victims.

Chaichanok said mobile phone operators had already been warned to address the issue and stop their signals spilling over into neighbouring territories.

However, checks on 160 cell towers along the border found that 50 of them were still beaming signals across, enabling international scam networks to operate using Thai mobile connections.

Call-centre gangs using smuggled broadband and Thai networks

Chaichanok said the meeting was also informed that in certain border areas, broadband internet cables had been smuggled across into neighbouring countries. It was possible, he added, that these cables were secretly laid to provide internet connections for call-centre gangs.

The minister noted that the National Security Council (NSC) had resolved to ban the provision of landline and mobile internet signals to call-centre gangs operating across the border.

Moreover, the government has declared the crackdown on call-centre gangs a national agenda, he added.

NBTC ordered to act; operators face fines and licence loss

As a result, Chaichanok has asked the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to order mobile phone operators to immediately stop beaming signals across the border.

Chaichanok said that if further violations are found, operators will face legal action and possible fines.

“Actually, we are beyond the warning stage. If we find violations again, we will ask the NBTC Office to consider revoking operating licences. I believe all operators know and understand the risks,” Chaichanok said.

He added that the NBTC Office would hold a meeting with mobile phone operators on Tuesday to hear concrete action plans on how they will address the issue. After the meeting, NBTC officials will report the operators’ plans back to the committee, he said.

Chaichanok added that the government’s ongoing operations to dismantle international scammer rings have already led to the seizure of assets worth over 10 billion baht.

New security standards for border cell towers

Meanwhile, a source at the DES Ministry said the ministry is in the process of setting new security standards for cell towers along the border. The new rules would require mobile phone operators to install monitoring systems that allow real-time tracking of internet traffic at border towers.

Mobile phone operators would also be required to share information with their counterparts in neighbouring countries so they can more effectively block traffic linked to call-centre gangs.