BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered decisive action to tackle online gambling and block public access to it, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.
Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said the prime minister issued the order out of his concern about online gambling which was reaching people through many convenient channels and causing social problems.
The prime minister targeted gambling advertisements and gambling-related activities which were grabbing young people, the spokesman said.
According to him, on Sept 23 the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission and the Royal Thai Police Office asked all internet service providers and mobile phone operators to block access to 1,202 gambling websites within 15 days.
Those who fail to comply will be prosecuted under the Computer Crime Act.
Studies found that gamblers are more likely to be addicted and lose more money to online gambling than offline one because of low restraint. Therefore, all parties should join forces to seriously suppress gambling websites, Anucha said.
— BERNAMA
