Thailand will push for child safety settings to be switched on by default on new digital devices, the government says, aiming to shield young users from harmful content without requiring parents to set anything up themselves.
The plan follows an inter-agency review of the Debsirin Nonthaburi School shooting on August 7, in which nine people were killed, including the 14 year old student responsible, and 21 others were injured.
Digital Economy and Society Minister Chaichanok Chidchob said on August 12 that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) had been working with major technology companies on child safety, alongside separate efforts targeting scams, fake news and deepfakes.
Talks with Apple resulted in an agreement to adjust its child protection policy. Newly released smartphones will have child protection mode activated by default from the factory, removing the need for parents to configure the settings themselves.
Other platforms remain in discussions with the NBTC, Chaichanok said. Separate reporting names Meta among the companies involved in these ongoing talks, alongside Apple.
Chaichanok acknowledged default protection would not completely stop children from accessing restricted material, since they could still use a parent’s account or find ways around the controls. However, he said having safeguards switched on from the outset would provide an important first layer of protection.
Two days after the shooting, Deputy Commissioner Atthapol Anusit of Provincial Police Region 1 said an examination of the student’s computer showed he “had watched social media content involving violence”, and that he had used social media to learn about firearms over roughly one to two years.
The NBTC is also working with the gaming industry after investigators found the student had created a virtual shop selling simulated firearms within a game.
Rather than banning or blocking games, the approach involves monitoring user behaviour and identifying accounts that show particular interest in weapons, so relevant agencies can assess potential risks. Officials have described this as requesting cooperation from service providers, not imposing bans.
The online safety push sits alongside a separate 90-day school safety plan agreed on August 8, when Deputy Prime Minister Yodchanan Wongsawat chaired a meeting of five ministries, including the Education Ministry, Social Development Ministry, and Labour Ministry.
That plan includes mental health screening for students and teachers, referral systems for at-risk students, anti-bullying measures, entrance screening for prohibited items, and a rights protection channel on the Traffy Fondue platform for anonymous reporting.
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