The National Radio and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) said it has taken these measures as part of the government's efforts to crack down on switchboard scammers and cut down on cybercrime.
The main focus of the campaign is the border area around Khlong Luek border gate in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo, opposite Cambodia's Poipet casino town - Trairat Viriyasirikirikul, Deputy General Secretary of NBTC said.
All data and phone communications will be cut off in near-border areas for 15 days, with services reduced or limited in more remote areas, the agency said.
However, the NBTC is looking to ensure that Thais living near the border can still use their mobile phones. Network operators plan to deploy mobile SIM vehicles to reduce all problems for customers.
Cambodia has previously cut off Internet connections from Thailand, but Thai private network operators serving Cambodia continue to provide services as usual, Trairat said.
There are currently 14 Thai companies providing broadband Internet in the neighboring country. However, after the meeting on June 26, the regulators decided to order the network operators to cut all signals to Cambodia.
For Thai network operators with branches in Cambodia, a separate transmission system will be deployed to ensure services are not affected by signal cuts.
Each SIM card used in Cambodia requires users to provide identification information and purpose of use, and network operators must send updated reports on SIM card sales to NBTC every 15 days.
Mr. Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police, said that the Thai government's order to close the Cambodian border and cut off telecommunications has helped reduce the number of cybercrimes.
Thailand is also preparing to prosecute the owners of two high-rise buildings in Poipet, which are said to be the main base of scammers.
Previously, we have hardly received any cooperation from Cambodia to suppress fraud cases, said Thatchai. Cambodian police have not been in contact with us since the border tensions began.
He added that further cooperation depends on the border situation between the two countries.
