Bangkok: The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DE) has reported significant progress in its efforts to combat online crime, successfully blocking over 220,000 illegal websites and online gambling operations.

According to Thai News Agency, the government has enhanced its crackdown on online crime, and from October 2025 to January 2026, it managed to block 220,000 illegal URLs and shut down over 180,000 online gambling websites.

Ms. Airin Phanrit, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced the government's ongoing efforts under the "Quick Win" policy to disrupt illegal activities facilitated through social media and websites. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society has been actively blocking illegal online platforms, significantly impacting criminal networks.

Ms. Airin highlighted the outcomes of these intensified efforts, noting that between October 1, 2025, and January 11, 2026, a total of 220,486 illegal social media pages, websites, and URLs were blocked. December 2025 saw a peak in activity, with 116,397 illegal URLs blocked within the month.

The crackdown primarily targeted URLs related to online gambling, with 183,977 items blocked. Other categories included e-cigarettes (14,618 items), alcohol advertising (10,139 items), marijuana sales (2,943 items), prostitution (2,040 items), firearms (1,990 items), and various other illegal activities such as distortion, deception, defamation, hate speech, and obscenity, totaling 4,779 items.

Ms. Airin explained the methods employed by the Ministry, which include continuous monitoring, investigation, and surveillance of online crime. The 'WebD' platform, utilizing AI and RPA technology, aids in the swift blocking of illegal websites by gathering evidence, creating court petitions, and sending orders to Internet Service Providers automatically. The 'URLs Checker' system ensures continuous monitoring of blocking status, contributing to the successful blocking of over 183,000 illegal online gambling-related platforms.