Senate Commerce Committee Partners with Consumer Council to Address Gaps in Laws Against Online Fraud as Scam Cases Surge
Thailand's Senate Commerce Committee and Consumer Council are partnering to address surging online fraud, with data showing over 121,921 scam cases in four months causing 7.48 billion baht in damages. A public forum scheduled for June 19 wi
On May 22, 2569, the Subcommittee on Commerce and Digital Economy under the Senate Commerce and Industry Committee, led by Senator Ekchai Rueangrat, held discussions with the Consumer Council headed by Saree Ongsom Huang, Secretary-General of the Consumer Council Office, to plan a seminar on protecting consumers from online fraud.
Senator Ekchai revealed after the meeting that participants agreed Thailand is fully transitioning into a digital society (E-Society), with transactions, commerce, investments, and services increasingly moving online. Simultaneously, cyber threats are evolving just as rapidly, including money transfer scams, account draining, fake account creation, and identity fraud, causing widespread consumer damage.
Data from the Anti-Online Fraud Center (ACSC) shows that in the first four months of 2569, over 121,921 cases were reported with total damages exceeding 7,480 million baht. E-commerce fraud cases remain the highest category, while investment scams cause the greatest financial harm. Facebook is identified as the platform where consumers face the most deception, with the Consumer Council receiving numerous complaints about social media scams totaling over 165 million baht in damages.
"This shows that many victims still lack access to remedies, despite the government enacting the Prevention of Cybercrime Act Version 2 over a year ago to strengthen accountability. In practice, however, the mechanism to help defrauded citizens remains ineffective, while online platforms—the primary channels criminals use—lack clear responsibility to adequately protect users," Ekchai stated.
From the discussions, participants agreed to organize a public forum to allow victims to voice problems, exchange policy recommendations, and collectively develop stronger consumer protection measures suited to the digital economy context. They will also study the feasibility of new legal frameworks to effectively hold platforms accountable while establishing a long-term implementation plan. The forum is scheduled for June 19, 2569 in the B1 conference room of the Parliament Building.
