PDRC keep communication low-tech for security

[webfact]

ANTI-GOVERNMENT RALLY
PDRC keep communication low-tech for security
HATAIKARN TREESUWAN
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THE PEOPLE'S Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) led by Suthep Thaugsuban has been able to keep its anti-government protests going for more than 100 days in part by preparing a careful communications strategy.

While PDRC strategists have used social media via smartphones as a vital tool for mobilising the demonstrators, committee leaders have relied on 2G prepaid cell phones to make contact with members to manage both its many rally stages and its rapid-deployment protest teams.

When the protest campaign kicked off, PDRC core leader Satit Wongnongtaey distributed Samsung 2G phones with new numbers among protest leaders, according to a source in the PDRC leadership.

Using the dedicated PDRC phone numbers kept their calls private and safe. Only invited members were able to communicate via these phones, the source said.

"If we receive a call from a stranger, we throw away the SIM cards and take new numbers for the group right away," the source said.

The source added that on some occasions, PDRC leaders gave secret cell-phone numbers to non-members carelessly. When this happened, Satit would order that new SIM cards be purchased. He has done this more than five times.

PDRC core leader Somsak Kosaisuk said the protest leaders were given individual cell-phone numbers and had to carefully monitor whether their calls were being tapped. "A friend who works for CAT Telecom told me that he once listened to one of my mobile-phone conversations.

"It is easy to tap a cell-phone using spy software or equipment to record a conversation. We had to keep our plans secret to save our lives," he said.

Many committee leaders avoid using smartphones, as officials would know where to find them if their phones were activated, the PDRC source said.

However, PDRC leaders who are former Democrat MPs cannot afford to lose contact with their main supporters, or reporters. So they keep their old cell-phone numbers, even if it means being disturbed by the pro-government side sometimes, PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan said.

Akanat showed some messages he had received on his iPhone, including threatens and hate speech. "I don't know who gave my phone number to these people. All I can do is chill out," he said.


-- The Nation 2014-02-19

[coconutbar]

100 baht bills should keep em protesting not low tech communication.

[focus27]

Wow, that's fascinating.

erm... standard practice for crims and terrorists.

[Ricardo]

PDRC keep communication low-tech for security

And in related news, the government offers a bounty for all carrier-pigeons intercepted in Bangkok, while engaged upon treasonous activities ?

[rreddin]

Wow, that's fascinating.

erm... standard practice for crims and terrorists.

It became clear in 2010 that US intelligence agencies were monitoring red shirt communications and passing intelligence on to the Thai government of which Suthep was Deputy Prime Minister. He knows this would happen again, but this time the intelligence would be passed on to Yingluk's government.

If the Royal Thai Police are doing their job properly, they will be analysing the calls made to and from the cell phones of arrested protesters. It would not take them long to find the cell phone numbers of the protest leaders. Similarly, they will be monitoring the cell phone numbers of those people who send sms messages to Blue Sky TV.

Bin Laden did not have a cell phone, but he was found by triangulating calls made to and from a cell phone known to belong to one of his lieutenants.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Well not so secret now, doh