Thailand govt admits using spyware to target phones, cites national security
By Team Newsable | First Published Jul 20, 2022, 6:58 PM ISTChaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, stated in parliament late Tuesday that he is aware of Thai authorities utilising spyware in "few" situations, but could not explain which government agency employed such software, which application was utilised, or which persons were targeted.
Following disclosures that government critics' phones had been hacked using Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, a Thai official revealed the Government utilises surveillance software to follow individuals in instances involving national security or narcotics.
Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, stated in parliament late Tuesday that he is aware of Thai authorities utilising spyware in "few" situations, but could not explain which government agency employed such software, which application was utilised, or which persons were targeted.
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Human rights organisations have accused Thai administrations of utilising broad definitions of national security as a pretext to prosecute or prohibit the activities of their primary opponents.
Also Read | NSO offered to sell Pegasus to West Bengal, I rejected it: Mamata
A collaborative investigation conducted by Thai human rights organisation iLaw, Southeast Asian internet watchdog Digital Reach, and Toronto-based Citizen Lab revealed on Monday the deployment of Pegasus spyware on at least 30 government opponents from October 2020 to November 2021.
The investigation came after Apple Inc. sent a global notice in November notifying thousands of iPhone owners, including those in Thailand, that their devices had been targeted by "state-sponsored attackers."
Chaiwut did not mention Pegasus, but he did say that malware is being used to "listen into or access a mobile phone to observe the screen, monitor conversations and communications." However, he stated that his ministry lacks the legal right to employ such software and did not indicate which government department does.
Also Read | Pegasus Snoopgate: Just 2 people have shown up with phones before SC-appointed probe panel so far
"It is used to discuss national security or drug issues. If you need to arrest a drug dealer, you must listen in to find out where the drop is," he stated.
The most recent alleged deployment of the malware follows the late-2020 rise of a youth-led movement that challenged the country's strong monarchy and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan- ocha's regime. Since the beginning of the movement, over 1,800 people have faced security-related charges. In a statement, Thai police denied using Pegasus for surveillance or invasions of privacy. Governments have used Pegasus to spy on journalists, activists, and dissidents, and the Israeli corporation that developed it, NSO Group, has been sued by Apple and placed on a U.S. trade blacklist.
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