Bangkok: Anudit Nakornthap, former Minister of Digital Economy and Society, has raised alarms over the growing issue of data leaks in Thailand, describing them as a "national disaster" and calling for urgent action from both public and private sectors. He emphasizes the need for the government to hold accountable those responsible for allowing sensitive data to be traded on the black market.
According to Thai News Agency, Captain Anudit Nakornthap, who now serves as the Chairman of the Kla Tham Party's strategy, highlighted the severe "personal data leakage crisis" in Thailand. This crisis is said to be a crucial enabler for online criminals, providing them with precise intelligence to execute scams, causing tens of billions of baht in damage to the Thai economy annually.
Captain Anudit pointed out that data from various entities, including government agencies, telecommunications companies, banks, hospitals, and online platforms, is readily available for purchase on the dark web. These criminals utilize the data to carry out different forms of fraud, such as phishing, deepfakes, social engineering, and fake applications.
In recent years, several data leaks have shaken public confidence, with one notable breach involving a database containing over 55 million citizens' information, which was exploited for fraudulent activities. Other leaks involved data on over 8 million telecommunications customers and over 10 million patient records from public hospitals, leading to widespread privacy violations and scam activities.
Despite the existence of Thailand's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Captain Anudit noted that enforcement remains lax, with insufficient penalties for organizations responsible for data leaks. Consequently, citizens continue to fall victim to scams, with little hope of recovering their losses.
Captain Anudit urged the government to investigate data leaks within both government and private sectors, especially repeat offenders. He emphasized that key cybersecurity agencies must collaborate proactively to prevent breaches rather than reacting after incidents occur.
Additionally, Captain Anudit called for agencies handling citizen data to bolster their security systems, aligning them with international standards such as ISO/IEC 27001 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. He stressed the necessity of regular audits to assure the public that their data is secure, framing data protection as a crucial national security issue.
The Kla Tham Party's strategy chairman proposed making "cyber threats" a national agenda, advocating for public awareness, enhanced government cybersecurity systems, and continuous private sector investment in data protection.
"Citizens' data is a national asset, and protecting it is key to national security," concluded Captain Anudit, urging decisive action to tackle the root causes of data leaks in Thailand.