The Thai government, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society (DES) Prasert Chandraruangthong, has announced that the "DE-fence Platform" will be operational by early 2025. This initiative aims to combat cybercrime, particularly phone scams and fraudulent SMS messages, by integrating efforts from the DES Ministry, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the Royal Thai Police, and telecommunication providers.

Key Features of the DE-fence Platform:

  1. Real-time Caller Identification:
    The platform links telecom operators' databases with those of the police, financial crime units, and other agencies. It enables citizens to identify the risk level of incoming calls or SMS messages before engaging with them.
  2. Blacklist, Greylist, and Whitelist System:
    • Blacklist (High Risk): Numbers confirmed to be fraudulent, which can be blocked automatically.
    • Greylist (Suspicious): Calls from unknown or foreign sources, flagged with warnings for users.
    • Whitelist (Trusted): Verified numbers from government or registered entities.
  3. Online Complaint and Reporting:
    The platform includes an online reporting system for victims to file complaints and freeze scammers' accounts via the AOC 1441 hotline.
  4. Fraudulent Link Detection:
    Users can verify the legitimacy of links attached to SMS messages to avoid phishing attempts.
  5. Future Integration with Social Media:
    After its initial focus on phone numbers and SMS, the system will expand to monitor fraudulent activity on social media platforms.