Buyers Of Pre-Paid S I M Cards Must Be Registered: Nbct

[spacemand]

Never registered when I got mine a few years ago but I agree with the law to prevent people using a prepaid to haress someone else or similar.

For expiring credits I never have an issue but the kids phone sometime has and then we just buy a few more days using Dtac its easy and cheap to buy 30 or more days. There is a limited number of numbers so the companies have to have some way to recycle them.

[DoctorG]

Same as others on here. Got a free SIM at the airport 3 months ago. No details asked for.

[quadman]

Lol everyone around here is so cynical. This has been the process in Australia for over 10 years for prepaid SIMs. The process is quite streamlined now and you're in the system with no wait. I'm sure it helps to curb a bit of crime, but obviously wouldn't stop everything. I'm sure this is the process in many other countries too.

I travel quite a bit, and have only seen Thailand not requiring showing a passport. It's the norm in Canada, USA, the EU community, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, and it's no big deal. So what's all the "geez these Thais?!?" All about?

[Locationthailand]

I can understand the mentality but not the execution. Isn't there enough paper work already in the Thai bureaucracy?

[InActionMan]

will this include the free sim cards given away at airports etc?

some years back True sent me a free SIM because I am a Platinum member but it didn't work. The next time I went to pay my TV bill I asked about it and was told they would activate when I showed my work permit, I'm retired and you don't need a work permit for that not even here. The lady in the office was adamant, no work permit no activation. TIT

[InActionMan]

I can understand the mentality but not the execution. Isn't there enough paper work already in the Thai bureaucracy?

keeps pen pushers in a job, makes departments bigger and the top people seem important. A sort of Peter Principle, Thai style

[OzMick]

Credit expiry is the big scam in Oz. Prepaid cards' credit as a rule expire after 30 days, or a Woolworths' (Optus re-seller) expires after 45, and you can get a 10% discount on credit if you know somebody with a woolies frequent shopper rewards card.

[Lammbock]

Than SIM cards will be no longer available at 7eleven stores?

[GreenSnapper]

I bought my pre-paid SIM in 2006 from a 7/11 store in Bangkok - I was asked to show my passport details and my passport number was recorded; so as far as I know, I'm registered.

One benefit is if you lose your phone, you can get the same number back.

I registered both my SIMs, and the system works - got mine reissued when I lost it or was pick-pocketed (Maybe?).

How and where do you register your SIM?

[QED]

Lol everyone around here is so cynical. This has been the process in Australia for over 10 years for prepaid SIMs. The process is quite streamlined now and you're in the system with no wait. I'm sure it helps to curb a bit of crime, but obviously wouldn't stop everything. I'm sure this is the process in many other countries too.

I travel quite a bit, and have only seen Thailand not requiring showing a passport. It's the norm in Canada, USA, the EU community, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, and it's no big deal. So what's all the "geez these Thais?!?" All about?

I travel a lot. Just emptied my little baggie that I carry in my laptop case. I have sim cards from Malaysia, Indonesia, UK, US, Canada, Jamaica, Netherlands, Hong Kong, China, and Kuwait, all purchased within the last year to 18 months. The ONLY one I showed any ID for was China (that entailed about half a day in the phone shop dealing with paperwork).

Even with a bit of hassle it beats paying the roaming rates AIS charge.

[ingvar]

Lemme se here, So if I'm a terrorist, I will completely stop all my terrorist bombing activities now, because It is now so much more difficult to get a SIM card, and of course this is the only way I know how to detonate my bombs.....

[uktony]

That will hit True handing out cards at airports for visitors. have to use your HOME provider in thailand at great extra cost.

[uktony]

Lol everyone around here is so cynical. This has been the process in Australia for over 10 years for prepaid SIMs. The process is quite streamlined now and you're in the system with no wait. I'm sure it helps to curb a bit of crime, but obviously wouldn't stop everything. I'm sure this is the process in many other countries too.

I travel quite a bit, and have only seen Thailand not requiring showing a passport. It's the norm in Canada, USA, the EU community, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, and it's no big deal. So what's all the "geez these Thais?!?" All about?

Never had to show anything in Germany, HK, Singapore, USA or UK.

Gov never heard of people cloning SIM cards?

[techboy]

No way those pesky terrorists will ever get their hands on a cell phone that has a sim card not registered to themselves with these new measures, no way at all, impossible now.

Indeed. Perhaps the authorities should enlist you a consultant?

[bubba]

You do not have to show any sort or ID or register a prepaid phone in the USA. I buy "flush phones" that come with a SIM card routinely when I am there on business, and there is no requirement. I say "flush phone", because for some unknown reason, I have never seen just a SIM card for sale on some place like Target or Walmart in the States, so I always buy the cheapest piece of junk package that includes some antique phone with a SIM card, remove the SIM card, flush the useless phone, and then use the SIM card in my travelling spare phone. I am convinced that all the archaic and outdated phones in the world end up in the USA for sale as pre-paid phone packages.

[notmyself]

That will hit True handing out cards at airports for visitors.

For sure,

I try to keep a couple around just in case but not seen them for a while. I only use perhaps 5 Baht of credit a month so ending the 'time' aspect or at least making it 60-90 days would be good.

[JakeBKK]

makes sense to register, anyway. You get your number back if the phone is lost or stolen.

[lomatopo]

I am pretty sure everyone had to register their SIM with a Thai ID or foreign passport by 12/31/2005, or have service terminated. I think most people registered their SIM(s).

Since then, even though it has been a rule/law/requirement/regulation (maybe some telecomms Act of 2001?), service providers have been lax, partly owing to sales though the indirect channel, and not wanting be the first/only to potentially alienate prospective customers.

Registering your SIM does have some benefits: it makes it easier to port out (MNP) should you want to, and it makes it easier to replace a lost/stolen SIM.

Eliminating expiration dates seems strange - they will run out of numbers quickly and it is a needless strain on systems which negatively impacts current users. I guess they will have to add some usage requirements, and unused SIMs, say over 60 days, could be closed out and recycled.

Edited January 15, 2013 by lomatopo

[bkk_mike]

Lol everyone around here is so cynical. This has been the process in Australia for over 10 years for prepaid SIMs. The process is quite streamlined now and you're in the system with no wait. I'm sure it helps to curb a bit of crime, but obviously wouldn't stop everything. I'm sure this is the process in many other countries too.

I travel quite a bit, and have only seen Thailand not requiring showing a passport. It's the norm in Canada, USA, the EU community, Malaysia, Singapore, etc, and it's no big deal. So what's all the "geez these Thais?!?" All about?

It's not the requirement that's the issue. The requirement is fairly normal.

It's just that a lot of us can remember the last time they announced that pre-paid SIMs had to be registered. Rules like this don't seem to "stick" in Thailand.

i.e. Expect to register if you get a SIM in the next few months, but after that, it will probably end up being "optional" again...

[wlcart]

Seems to me that a person wishing to anomalously own a phone is very reasonable. I am always a little taken back to see how passive people can be with their liberties. I object to this sort of law, whether it bee in the US, Europe, Asia or anywhere else. I wouldn't care if anyone else supported it or not if that didn't force will on me, but it does.

[unclueng]

My wife and I don't mind registration. We have nothing to hide. It protects us if the phone is lost or stolen.

By the way there was a prepaid plan with AIS that when you topped up 50 Baht or more it is good for one (1) year. It is no longer offered. However, if you have it you still can use it.

[Bobsufc]

I bought my pre-paid SIM in 2006 from a 7/11 store in Bangkok - I was asked to show my passport details and my passport number was recorded; so as far as I know, I'm registered.

One benefit is if you lose your phone, you can get the same number back.

I registered both my SIMs, and the system works - got mine reissued when I lost it or was pick-pocketed (Maybe?).

You don't have to be registered to get your number back.

You just go to the providers office, or to a Telewis Office give them the number and they will ask you a few questions about recent calls and most frequently called numbers before you lost it.

and "voila" you get your number back.

I have lost two phones and kept the number with AIS

By the way. Believe it or not This is a free service or was when I did it last year and 6 years ago at Telewis in MBK ground floor then telewis in Muang Thong Thani Food centre.

Edited January 15, 2013 by Bobsufc

[rubl]

A few years ago (and maybe still) airlines would give foreign arrivals a SIM card as a kind of welcome gift. Now of course the airlines might have those SIMs registered and with their own superb administration knew who got which.

Does this new enforcement mean that

- foreign tourists no longer get a complimentary SIM ?

- Thai who buy SIMs by the dozen at 7/11 and the like can no longer do so?

[surangw]

and they are sure only the person buying the card will be using it.

[marquis22]

I bought my pre-paid SIM in 2006 from a 7/11 store in Bangkok - I was asked to show my passport details and my passport number was recorded; so as far as I know, I'm registered.

How do you get a long lasting SIM card? I have to keep buying a new one every year I come here as they expire within 12 months.

[Plastic Brontosaurus]

About expiration: I have a TrueMove SIM that I got for free at an airport three years ago or so, and so far, every time I top it up with 1000 baht it extends its expiry with about six months. However the maximum validity is 12 months (any further 1000 baht top-ups will not push the expiry date further into the future beyond the 12 months from today).

When i do a balance enquiry (#123#) it says the balance and then "you can make calls until 14/12/2013".

There's a lot of different SIM "packages" so not sure whether this one is still available to new subscribers or even whether its behavior will change if the expiry date requirement gets implemented in the (near?) future. Just thought I'd mention the above as some people can't seem to get expiry dates beyond a month or so - at least with TrueMove and the particular SIM card I have, expiry depends on the top-up amount.

[g00dgirl]

Providers are acting on those orders. I bought a truemove H SIM a while ago at a random mobile phone shop and went into a true store at Central Plaza Surat Thani to have it exchanged for a nano SIM. They requested personal details and a passport copy in order to exchange the SIM card. (free of charge).

[Gonsalviz]

My wife does it but now that top up card time is good for nearly 1 year, I find it is not worthwhile to have a prepaid.

[elektrified]

Never had to register and never will. Why would I even want to give my ID information to some company? How does it benefit me?

You may have no choice. This is a good thing. They have been doing this in Europe and America for years. Everybody who uses a mobile should be registered because these devices are used in crimes all the time. It's for everyone's safety.

[grahamhc]

I bought my pre-paid SIM in 2006 from a 7/11 store in Bangkok - I was asked to show my passport details and my passport number was recorded; so as far as I know, I'm registered.

One benefit is if you lose your phone, you can get the same number back.

I registered both my SIMs, and the system works - got mine reissued when I lost it or was pick-pocketed (Maybe?).

How and where do you register your SIM?

I live in Pattaya, and at the time I went to the local service Office. Now there are loads. In Pattaya - DTAC have one in Big C Xtra, and several other shopping centres. AIS are covered by Telewhiz shops - Big C xtra, Tukcom and several other places.

I imagine 7-11 will key your ID / Passport Ni onto their tile. They do all other utilities, so I think this will be no problem.