Foreign SIM cards cannot be used to detonate bombs

[george]

Foreign SIM cards 'cannot be used to detonate bombs'

BANGKOK: -- Foreign SIM cards have to undergo thorough checks before they can be used in Thailand, and cannot be used to detonate bombs, a senior Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry official has confirmed.

Speaking in response to government concern that SIM cards issued in neighbouring countries could be used in Thai militant attacks, Mr. Kanawat Vasinsangvorn, Vice Minister for ICT, said that he had been assured by the Customs Department that foreign SIM cards did not pose a problem.

Unless foreign mobile telephone users apply for international roaming services, they can only use their SIM cards in a narrow band of land along Thailand's borders, most of which is uninhabited jungle.

Users who apply for international roaming services must subject their SIM cards to thorough checks in their own countries before they can be used abroad.

Mr. Kanawat's assurances come as the government is introducing strict controls on domestically-issued SIM cards in an attempt to crack down on their use for insurgency purposes.

A number of explosives used in the country's southern insurgency have been detonated by mobile phone.

The vice minister for ICT, nonetheless, confirmed that customs officials have no powers to inspect the mobile phone equipment of people crossing over into Thailand through border checkpoints.

--TNA 2005-06-04

Edited June 4, 2005 by george

[aqua4]

It will not do much. All that is needed is to simply steal someones phone and there you go. Why reinvent the wheel?

However they might consider "Blacklisting" stolen phones sim cards. That would prove to be far more effective but would not deter someone from using a mobile phone enable explosive device. So its is a no win situation!

[billd766]

Quote

Speaking in response to government concern that SIM cards issued in neighbouring countries could be used in Thai militant attacks, Mr. Kanawat Vasinsangvorn, Vice Minister for ICT, said that he had been assured by the Customs Department that foreign SIM cards did not pose a problem.

Unless foreign mobile telephone users apply for international roaming services, they can only use their SIM cards in a narrow band of land along Thailand's borders, most of which is uninhabited jungle.

Users who apply for international roaming services must subject their SIM cards to thorough checks in their own countries before they can be used abroad.

Every time I came to Thailand from 1999 until 2002 I used to bring my UK mobile with me and I could both make and receive calls in most places I went to.

NOBODY ever asked me about my mobile at all.

Most business people who come into Thailand from overseas carry their mobile which is set up for roaming and usually the only "thorough" checks made are to see if you can pay the bill.

I suspect that the gentleman has been given incorrect information.

Stuff like this makes me really

[ovenman]

Users who apply for international roaming services must subject their SIM cards to thorough checks in their own countries before they can be used abroad.

Utter nonsense. I have a Malaysian prepaid SIM with Digi, one of the big Malay mobile phone operators. Buying this SIM card required no registration whatsoever and guess what...? This SIM card has international roaming automatically enabled.