A Reminder For All Thaivisa Members

[razino]

I don't know if this is relevent but Malaysian SIM cards on roaming in the South are still being blocked as of 30th Dec 2005. But my registered Orange pre-paid was working fine at Betong Yala.

[Artisan]

T......I.......T folks!!

[Thaicoon]

Another balls up, lot of us guys have gone to a lot of trouble for WHAT........

[married2surin]

Another balls up, lot of us guys have gone to a lot of trouble for WHAT........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Thaicoon, long time no speak !

But you should of known better mate ! I didn't register mine in November when I was over..... cos I just knew this was going to happen, so what was the point.

[george]

The supervisors I talked to at AIS and DTAC was a bit annoyed too, but I could hear that it was good news for them. They have gone through a lot of &lt;deleted&gt; with this, believe me.

So the summary is:

If you don't plan to visit the very South of Thailand (Yala, Narathiwat or Pattani), it's no need to bother with registration for now. Await further announcements

Blame me if they cut your phone! (hic)

[Bangkok Barry]

Are we surprised?

No.

My wife can never understand why I get upset at all the bizarre rules that are constantly being made. She knows that almost none of them are ever enforced. Mostly, she says, some politician just says the first thing that comes into his head to get some attention, and then he goes back to sleep.

Seems the only rule they've managed to enforce, at least in the bigger stores in Bangkok, is the most stupid - no booze to be sold between 2 and 5, unless you want to buy loads and then that's okay. And off course, away from those places things carry on as usual.

And isn't that one of the reasons we love being in LOS? The total anarchy that exists. Do what you like and most people don't care.

As far as the Phone Fiasco goes, isn't it nice to know that Thais are still the worst organisers in the world - although it's a little worrying when it is supposed to relate to security. We know of course that registering SIM cards was going to make no difference at all, but THEY did'nt and still screwed up.

[KhunMarco]

Finally good news.

What's the point in registering?

A waste of time.

Just my opinion.

[manjara]

I never bothered registering.

If AIS went down from 15 million prepaid subscribers to around 9 million registered (if that), it was never going to happen.

It affects the ego of the AIS management, and they are close enough to the government to make it count!

Corporate Governance, isn't that what they call it??

[cnnaing]

I have called both AIS and DTAC Call Centers, and it's official:

The ICT Ministry has decided to postpone the deadline for registration of pre-paid SIM cards until further notice. No new deadline is given either to network operators or users. Both call centres have no further information for the time being.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical now isnt it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Feeling confident folks?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

whatever ! Alert is good

[udon]

Thanks George ........ TIT at it's best!

Unreal, innit!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Thanks George ........ TIT at it's best!      

Unreal, innit!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[udon]

Words like "Banana Republic" come to mind, I guess that's why I can't wait to get back.

[john b good]

My cell phone is still working the same as it did before Dec. 31st and I haven't registered yet. I talked to several farang friends, all residents here, and NONE of them had heard that they needed to register their phones.

So, I am very confused by this requirement. Is the government really going to turn off all of the literally millions of prepaid SIM Cards? With no grace period? And after only minor efforts at publicizing the need to register?

The way they are going about it is so disorganized and so poorly publicized that the process is going to make the government look foolish. If this is so important, they need to make sure that everybody knows.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"the process is going to make the government look foolish"

From this comment it would appear that you have not been long in the realm.

No one needs to make the government look foolish, they do it themselves on a daily basis, and they do not require any help from anyone in the process.

[manjara]

Also, it would have been very, very easy for the mobile phone companies to send out text messages to those who had not registered, telling them to register or their phone would be deactivated.

I never got one, did you? That just *might* suggest that the phone companies were complicit in the whole scam.

Now they have about 60% of their prepaid subscribers details, exteremely valuable from a marketing point of view.

Who had the most prepaid subscribers, and the most to gain? AIS (1-2-call), owned by the Shinawat family. TID(efinately)T

[simon6]

I guess it will happen soon, like most things eventually!

Si Thai

I have called both AIS and DTAC Call Centers, and it's official:

The ICT Ministry has decided to postpone the deadline for registration of pre-paid SIM cards until further notice. No new deadline is given either to network operators or users. Both call centres have no further information for the time being.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical now isnt it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[percy2]

BIG SCARE ON THAIVISA COMES TO NOTHING

seems like a daily headline..........

[Artisan]

I guess it will happen soon, like most things eventually!

Si Thai

I have called both AIS and DTAC Call Centers, and it's official:

The ICT Ministry has decided to postpone the deadline for registration of pre-paid SIM cards until further notice. No new deadline is given either to network operators or users. Both call centres have no further information for the time being.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical now isnt it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because of the cock-up, has the ICT Ministry staff been given inactive posts on this island? See Post #105

Edited January 4, 2006 by Artisan

[toptuan]

Got that deja vu feeling "all over again."

Somehow this whole fiasco reminds me of when I belatedly discovered (my own fault) that I was supposed to be doing the 90-day address reports to keep my non-immigrant B visa current. I looked up the penalties: jail time, 5,000 baht fine, personal appearance before the magistrates, etc.

I totally panicked and first thing checked with a farang friend who's been here eight years on the same kind of visa: "What? You fall for that load of sh*t?" was his response. He has never filed an address report in his entire stay in this country. Ergo: The nearest immigration office (300 km. away) continues to give him his one-year extensions without a hiccup.

Every Thai I mentioned this phone registration thing to, had the same "mai pen rai" attitude as my farang friend. I start to feel like Chicken Little around my friends: "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

My take on it? On the address reports, I'm not brave enough to follow my friend's cynical lead. I'll do 'em. Also, my luck has it that the very law/regulation I choose to ignore is the one that'll trip me up later. So, I choose to err on the conservative side and try to follow through. I guess ocassionally looking like an idiot is a small price to pay for not getting kicked out of the country or having my phone cut off.

Your thoughts? Am I playing it smart, or am I Chicken Little?

[rexall]

Your thoughts?   Am I playing it smart, or am I Chicken Little?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wed 4 Jan 05, 3:35 p.m.

The consequence of a lost SIM is infinitesimally small compared to having to deal with the Thai criminal justice system; fines, jail, extortion, deportation! The two issues are not comparable in any way.

In the first place, registering your SIM is a one-time, painless nuisance. Even nuisance is probably too strong a word. Getting it done can avoid even the remote possibility of having to replace the SIM. It is just a non-issue IMHO. Of course for some folks (who use their phone for business, for example) losing a number is a bigger problem than to some others who might be just as happy that 1,000 bar girls no longer have the number!

Personally I would never risk toying with the reporting rule. Even if it is remote and unlikely, the thought of having a non-reporting beef pop up as a result of some fluke is chilling. Besides, all it involves is mailing a form four times a year! What is the possible benefit gained by avoiding that chore compared with a romp through the Thai "criminal justice system"?

BTW, in the off-chance you are doing "visa runs," you don't need to report. That is accomplished when you fill out your TM card upon entering the kingdom.

Aloha,

Rex

Edited January 4, 2006 by rexall

[toptuan]

Thanks for the perspective Rex. Evidently my farang friend's "mai pen rai" attitude is light years from yours on this point! By the way, it sounds critical enough to make sure it's not just "mail" but "registered mail"?

Edited January 4, 2006 by toptuan

[Artisan]

Thanks for the perspective Rex.  Evidently my farang friend's "mai pen rai" attitude is light years from yours on this point!  By the way, it sounds critical enough to make sure it's not just "mail" but "registered mail"?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I appreciate that I'm off topic but I've lived in Thailand continuously for 15 years and, although Ive never needed to do a "visa run", I do report my presence to the local Immigration Office every 90 days. The Thai Immigration Bureau has tightened up om this requirement recently. A 7-day period of grace is given but wait any longer and the fine is stiff.

[PeaceBlondie]

I   Of course, you don't get a receipt for writing your name on a piece of paper that has no headings. Sounds like a bad joke.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But did you get your free pen?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course I got my free pen, but it doesn't write. Is this your pen? No, it's my pen. Not mai pen, your pen. My pen writes. Does your pen write? My pen wri....

[sriracha john]

OK now...

What I want to know is....

How do I unregister???

[dr_Pat_Pong]

You have been here so long you can't do that

[willkelsall]

When it was first mooted, I said it would never happen....but I registered anyway which just goes to show that not even I take my own advice......

[Jai Dee]

ICT MINISTRY TO HALT CUTTING CELL PHONE SIGNALS

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Minister SORA-AT KLINPRATOOM (สรอรรถ กลิ่นประทุม) said that the Ministry of ICT will postpone the plan to cut down signals for prepaid mobile phone users who did not register their SIM cards before the government's dateline on December 31st last year. The cause of the delay is because all mobile phone service providers are not ready to serve the policy yet.

Mr. SORA-AT has assigned Permanent-Secretary to the ICT Ministry KRAISORN PORNSUTEE (ไกรสร พรสุธี) to discuss with the private sectors on when the signals would be cut off. However, prepaid mobile phone users can still register their SIM cards with the authorities.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 January 2006

[george]

SIM Card registration deadline extended indefinitely

BANGKOK: -- The government-imposed deadline for registration of SIM cards in pre-paid cellular phones has been indefinitely postponed due to technical reasons.

The deadline, earlier set for Dec 31, 2005, has been extended at the request of the telephone service providers. For this reason, those consumers who have not yet had their SIM cards registered may continue to use their pre-paid phones, ICT Permanent Secretary Kraisorn Pornsuthee said Thursday.

Though their phone lines remain active, the customers are bound to comply with the SIM card rules shortly.

ICT Minister Sora-at Klinpratoom earlier demanded that all pre-paid phone users nationwide, especially those in the far South region, have their SIM cards registered for security reasons.

About 90 per cent of pre-paid phone users living in the three southern border provinces have already had their SIM cards registered.

--TNA 2006-01-05

[spot phuket]

I have called both AIS and DTAC Call Centers, and it's official:

The ICT Ministry has decided to postpone the deadline for registration of pre-paid SIM cards until further notice. No new deadline is given either to network operators or users. Both call centres have no further information for the time being.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical now isnt it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Feeling confident folks?

had to smile on a recent visit to penang ... my 12call sim was blocked for making outward calls.. but could receive incoming...... on my return i enquired as to why? i need roaming? i need to register sim? NO apparently it was blocked as i was in the southern provinces, and we all know about the **** down there.. it was blocked so i couldnt use it as part of device for stting of a **** ???????????????????

but wait i can receive calls? if it was gonna be used for a **** thats what i would want my phone to do.. after call im not about to use my phone next to the gpddam **** am I !

[Sturbuc]

I have called both AIS and DTAC Call Centers, and it's official:

The ICT Ministry has decided to postpone the deadline for registration of pre-paid SIM cards until further notice. No new deadline is given either to network operators or users. Both call centres have no further information for the time being.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Typical now isnt it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Feeling confident folks?

had to smile on a recent visit to penang ... my 12call sim was blocked for making outward calls.. but could receive incoming...... on my return i enquired as to why? i need roaming? i need to register sim? NO apparently it was blocked as i was in the southern provinces, and we all know about the **** down there.. it was blocked so i couldnt use it as part of device for stting of a **** ???????????????????

but wait i can receive calls? if it was gonna be used for a **** thats what i would want my phone to do.. after call im not about to use my phone next to the gpddam **** am I !

Sounds funny to me - i was asking TH AIS for international rooming with my 1-2-call-account and it was granted (...) but the only thing i can do over here is getting incoming calls and recharge this account. Outgoing calls/SMS are refused by every network (of 4). Will call AIS again when back in LOS end of the month. But they're always very kind at the phone

Edited January 9, 2006 by Sturbuc

[JimsKnight]

SIM Card registration deadline extended indefinitely

BANGKOK: -- The government-imposed deadline for registration of SIM cards in pre-paid cellular phones has been indefinitely postponed due to technical reasons.

The deadline, earlier set for Dec 31, 2005, has been extended at the request of the telephone service providers. For this reason, those consumers who have not yet had their SIM cards registered may continue to use their pre-paid phones, ICT Permanent Secretary Kraisorn Pornsuthee said Thursday.

--TNA 2006-01-05

Something I already knew was just more hot air from the Government!

Shame on you moderators for believing the BS from Toxins cronies!!