Thailand’s anti-online gambling campaign is now targeting international social media giants and the nation’s telecom operators, as previous efforts fail to staunch the interest of local gamblers.  

Last week, Thailand’s government filed formal complaints against Facebook and Twitter for allegedly failing to comply with local court rulings ordering them to block content involving online gambling, porn, illegal drugs and unflattering profiles of the Thai monarchy, all of which are forbidden under the country’s Computer Crime Act.

Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta said the social media giants had failed to comply with court orders requiring them to block hundreds of online accounts within the required 15-day period. Facebook reportedly blocked only 215 of 661 offending accounts while Twitter had blocked only four of 69 suspect accounts on its platform.

A police spokesperson warned that the social media firms could face fines of THB200k (US$6,300) plus additional daily fines of THB5k until the accounts are blocked. Given Facebook’s earnings, the penalties hardly represent an existential threat, so the Thai government may be forced to take more drastic measures in future.