Bangkok: Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, expressed satisfaction following the Anti-Money Laundering Office’s (AMLO) seizure of assets worth tens of billions from a scam network. He attributed the government’s change under Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul as the pivotal factor in dismantling the network. Chaichanok disclosed that the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is preparing to classify the “iris scans” for Bitcoin as a special case, proposing a maximum fine of 5 million baht per case against the private sector, with 1.2 million names initially identified.
According to Thai News Agency, Chaichanok addressed the controversy surrounding iris scanning for Bitcoin transactions, emphasizing that iris scanning, if properly used, is a sophisticated form of identity verification, superior to fingerprints. Despite this, issues arose from unauthorized data collection and lack of compensation transparency during the initial project implementation in February 2015, which involved recruiting participants from various provinces who were unaware of the project’s details or compensation methods.
Chaichanok further noted discrepancies in compensation, revealing that while social media advertisements promised over 1,000 baht, many participants received only 200-500 baht. He highlighted issues of personal data protection and the villagers’ unawareness of the monthly coin distributions, which were not adequately communicated by the company involved.
The minister also addressed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and Prime Opportunity Fund VCC for developing a digital business and finance center. He criticized the speed and oversight of the MOU process, revealing it was signed within three days without proper legal examination or inter-agency communication. The MOU involved TIDC World Co., Ltd., linked to Prime Opportunity Fund VCC, and lacked legal oversight, raising concerns over compliance with Thai laws, including online gambling.
Chaichanok revealed that company requests to use the ministry’s logo were denied, and a subsequent inspection found that neither the Electronic Business Development Agency (ETDA) nor the Personal Data Protection Committee (PDPC) had granted data processing permissions. Despite this, iris scanning commenced in February 2015. He has since canceled the MOU and emphasized the need for thorough background checks and KYC procedures in future agreements.
In terms of assistance for affected individuals, Chaichanok explained that information is being collected for a special case consideration. Potential fines for data breaches range from 500,000 to 5 million baht per ID, with over 1.2 million IDs traced since the scanning suspension. He urged citizens to report unauthorized data collection.
Chaichanok expressed satisfaction with AMLO’s seizure of over 10 billion baht in assets from the scam network, noting it as a significant achievement in identifying and prosecuting guilty parties under Thai law. He credited Prime Minister Anutin’s administration for prioritizing this issue on a national scale and providing comprehensive support, which facilitated the investigation’s progress.
Chaichanok concluded by affirming the ongoing efforts to address these issues and assured that further developments would occur swiftly following this initial breakthrough.