Thailand Smart Card Expected To Resume Next Year

[webfact]

Smart card expected to resume next year

By The Nation

The Interior Ministry is expected to resume issuing microchip-embedded national identification cards, widely known as smart cards, early next year.

A blunder surrounding the smart cards was detected earlier this year when the Interior Ministry found the latest batch provided by the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Ministry did not comply with prescribed specifications.

Following the detection, many Thai citizens still have no access to microchipembedded smart cards. People seeking national ID cards have been issued yellow temporary cards over recent months.

An informed source yesterday revealed authorities had now agreed on the format for the new batch of smart cards which the ICT Ministry will deliver to the Interior Ministry's Department of Provincial Administration.

"The purchase and delivery plan has already been made," the source said.

According to this source, the ICT Ministry will procure 26 million smart cards and submit them to the Department of Provincial Administration in instalments.

"The first instalment will have 500,000 smart cards. It is to be delivered by January 15 next year," it said.

The same source said the nine million smart cards in the last batch, which failed to comply with prescribed specifications, would likely be left unused.

-- The Nation 2010-12-01

[asiawatcher]

I wonder how they sorted out the 'issues' relating to the supplier and the money involved? Smart cards are a good idea as most expats and Farang now have embedded information in passports issued within the last few years. Thai citizens are no exception to having digital information and may go a long way in big brother keeping tabs on all. Sign of the times!

[floridaguy]

I have only seen 1 possible use of the chip in my ID card. That was when I went to apply for my passport. He scanned the card, but I can't remember if he scanned the barcode or scanned the chip. That brought up my information and my photo on his computer. No where else has it been used. Still using the low technology of photocopies.