Thailand in Dire Need of Tech-Savvy Police Officers

Thailand is in dire need of tech-savvy police officers, says Thailand's top cybercrime buster, Pol Col Siriwat Deephor. He said there are enough laws in place to deal with crime and other nefarious activities on the internet but are troubled by a lack of tech-savvy police officers.

While Siriwat is regarded for his relentless battle against the trade of child pornography by online criminal gangs, he is now focusing on groups that specialize in creating and distributing fake information through social media. By combining the practical experience while serving in the field and with the knowledge he attained from studying computer science, Siriwat managed to make headway in his battle against online criminals. "When it comes to fighting cybercrime, we have to constantly keep up with these criminals who have now moved on to the internet. All they need to commit a crime is a mobile phone, a bank account and the courage to take the risk," he said.

Moreover, as Thailand's social media usage continues to increase in intensity, criminals are following suit and often mark their victims on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Siriwat said online fraud is increasingly becoming a problem, and criminals are constantly devising new and more sophisticated tactics to stay a step ahead of investigators.