(AsiaGameHub) – Thai police authorities have announced a collaboration with social media executives to develop a strategy for eliminating illegal gambling-related group chats from encrypted platforms.
On May 14, representatives from the Royal Thai Police met with executives from Line Thailand. According to the Thai media outlet Top News Report, the discussions focused on methods to disrupt online gatherings related to gambling, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling.
The meeting was attended by senior police cybercrime investigators, including Pol. Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwphan, the Deputy Inspector-General of the force.
Line, which is headquartered in Japan, was first introduced in 2011 by a subsidiary of the South Korean internet conglomerate Naver.
The platform has gained massive adoption in Thailand, reporting between 54 and 56 million monthly active users.
With more than 80% of the nation’s population using Line, the company reports rapid business expansion.
However, police allege that criminal organizations are utilizing Line’s open chat rooms to attract bettors to unlawful gambling sites, launder money, and coordinate scams linked to gambling.
Thai Police: Gambling Chat Rooms Must Go
Similar to Telegram, Line provides open chat rooms with features that protect user anonymity, serving various community interests.
Law enforcement states that offenders have misused these capabilities. While competitors like Telegram present greater legal challenges because they lack a physical base in Thailand, this does not apply to Line’s parent company, LY Corporation.
The company’s significant presence in Thailand prompted it to set up a local subsidiary in Bangkok.
At the meeting, police and Line management committed to enhancing their collaborative work “by mid-year.”
They also concurred that Line would intensify actions against Thai-language groups involved in promoting investment fraud and distributing pornographic content.
The Royal Thai Police further requested that the social media company suspend accounts operated by crime syndicates that establish chat rooms for trading weapons and drugs.
The leaders of Line Thailand pledged their “full cooperation” and indicated they would utilize backing from LY Corporation in Japan.
Officials stated plans to improve current systems for requesting data blocks, allowing for broader, quicker, and more effective account shutdowns.
They noted that the upgraded system is scheduled to be operational “by mid-2026.”
Raid Takes Down Online Casino AM 08
In other parts of Thailand, the Royal Thai Police are maintaining their campaign against illicit online casino businesses.
Their most recent operations resulted in the shutdown of a well-known Thai-language casino site called AM 08, as reported by the Thai media outlet Bangkok Insight.
Police in Ranong Province reported arresting a 24-year-old individual during a raid in the Mueang District.
Authorities confirmed the confiscation of cash, computers, and mobile phones from the location, identified as a private residence.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, Commander of the Cybercrime Investigation Bureau, stated that the AM 08 platform launched more than two years ago.
Officials report that the site handled wagers from approximately 36,000 users. It is also accused of operating illegal lottery draws and providing slot machines, baccarat, and sports betting.
In late last month, the Thai Department of Special Investigation froze funds totaling $15.3 million across multiple bank accounts.
The department asserted that the money was connected to a laundering operation serving a large online gambling network.
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