BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s telecom regulator NBTC stepped up its crackdown on so‑called “horse SIMs,” blocking 8,892 suspicious mobile numbers nationwide in March 2026, many of them in border regions.
NBTC continues measures against “Sim Maa”
The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) reported that it had intensified efforts to prevent technology and cybercrime by focusing on so‑called “Sim Maa.” These are mobile numbers that showed conspicuous or abusive patterns of use.
Triarat Viriyasirikul, deputy secretary‑general and acting secretary‑general of the NBTC, announced the latest steps. The regulator stressed that the campaign against such numbers would be pursued with continued determination.
Cooperation with all mobile operators
According to the regulator, the measures were implemented in close cooperation with all licensed telecommunications companies and mobile operators. The aim was to identify numbers whose usage patterns indicated unlawful or unusual activities.
The operators were instructed to filter out suspicious behavior so that questionable numbers could be removed from service more quickly. NBTC viewed this as a key element in curbing digital fraud and other technology‑related crimes.
8,892 numbers blocked in March 2026
In March 2026, the regulator ordered the blocking of a total of 8,892 mobile numbers that fell into this category. The measure applied to numbers across the entire country.
The agency underlined that it was acting not only in isolated cases, but on an ongoing basis against suspicious SIM usage. The blocks were described as part of a longer‑term strategy targeting the abusive use of telecommunications infrastructure.
Focus on border provinces
When evaluating the data, the commission found that the use of numbers for committing technology‑related offenses remained concentrated primarily in border provinces. These areas were therefore identified as a particular focus of the current situation.
In addition, 1,745 of the blocked numbers were classified as being “distributed across various provinces.” The statement did not provide further breakdowns by individual province.
More than 234,721 blocks since November 2025
From 8 November 2025 to 17 March 2026, more than 234,721 numbers were blocked for conspicuous usage, according to the NBTC. The regulator pointed to these figures to illustrate both the scale of the problem and the continuity of its interventions.
The data were also meant to show that the blocks did not concern isolated incidents, but addressed a nationwide pattern. The commission regarded the ongoing measures as a contribution to reducing fraud and cyber offenses.
Weekly reports and tighter controls
The NBTC ordered all mobile operators to scrutinize suspicious usage behavior even more closely. In future, companies would have to submit the results of their checks to the regulator on a weekly basis.
According to the commission, this information would be used together with security agencies to support further investigations and to strengthen protection for the public, lives and property. The NBTC stated that it intended to keep the public regularly informed about progress.