The Gambling Prevention Act 2026 was recently introduced to replace the colonial (เฆเฆชเฆจเฆฟเฆฌเงเฆถเฆฟเฆ) Public Gambling Act of 1867, aiming to stop the economic drain caused by online betting. While updated laws are necessary, the enforcement (เฆชเงเฆฐเฆฏเฆผเงเฆ) mechanisms in this new act have raised significant concerns regarding the fundamental (เฆฎเงเฆฒเฆฟเฆ) rights of citizens. Specifically, Section 44 allows the government to utilize advanced technologies like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) for monitoring online activities.
DPI is a method that inspects the actual data content of communications rather than just basic addressing information. Critics liken (เฆคเงเฆฒเฆจเฆพ เฆเฆฐเฆพ) this to a post office opening and reading every private letter. This level of surveillance (เฆจเฆเฆฐเฆฆเฆพเฆฐเฆฟ) could expose sensitive personal information, potentially violating the constitutional right to the privacy of correspondence (เฆฏเงเฆเฆพเฆฏเงเฆ/เฆเฆฟเฆ เฆฟเฆชเฆคเงเฆฐ). Without clear rules or judicial oversight (เฆคเฆฆเฆพเฆฐเฆเฆฟ), such technology might be misused beyond its intended purpose of preventing gambling.
Furthermore, Section 36 of the act grants police the authority to seize digital devices and make warrantless (เฆชเฆฐเงเฆฏเฆผเฆพเฆจเฆพ เฆฌเฆฟเฆนเงเฆจ) arrests if they believe evidence might be damaged. The justification (เฆฏเงเฆเงเฆคเฆฟเฆเฆคเฆพ) for this is the volatile (เฆ
เฆธเงเฆฅเฆพเฆฏเฆผเง/เฆชเฆฐเฆฟเฆฌเฆฐเงเฆคเฆจเฆถเงเฆฒ) nature of digital evidence, but it creates a risk of abuse under the guise (เฆเฆฆเงเฆฎเฆฌเงเฆถ) of police privilege. Legal experts argue that allowing searches and arrests based solely on suspicion, without a judge’s review, is not a reasonable restriction on freedom. Ultimately, while preventing gambling is a constitutional mandate, it should not lead to the encroachment (เฆ
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