Cel phone registration update

[Koz33]

I've been out of the country for several months. Before I left there was lots of publicity about cel phone registration but I couldn't get my done. I topped off my cel(s) to be good til Sep. Now wondering if they will work upon arrival. Will they work now, is reg still allowed. or ?. Info appreciated.

[johng]

They say the cut off date to register is 31st July, after that only incoming calls and SMS's and emergency calls.

Whether you will be able to register a previously blocked SIM and receive full service after the cut off date is still unclear.

[Koz33]

They say the cut off date to register is 31st July, after that only incoming calls and SMS's and emergency calls.

Whether you will be able to register a previously blocked SIM and receive full service after the cut off date is still unclear.

Thanks, I won't be back till 1st week in Aug. guess I will find out then.

[Crossy]

Moved to Mobile Devices

[bamnutsak]

Whether you will be able to register a previously blocked SIM and receive full service after the cut off date is still unclear.

I think the NBTC said - quoted in several articles - that operators must revive previously unregistered SIMs for up to 12 months after the deadline. After that that, the number is considered unused and can be recycled.

[arthurboy]

Mods: This should be useful for many people on here who either live or visit Thailand and have a pre-paid number with any of the three telecom operators.

I'd like to clear up what people have to do to legally register their pre-paid number before July 31 this year. This applies to anyone - Thai or foreigner - with a prepaid sim card from a Thai telecom operator.

First, if you brought a sim card from any operator in the past, this may not mean it is 'really' registered.Your phone was registered when you bought it, but this new requirement is a new layer of registration required by the Thai govt.

I bought an AIS sim card for my son in August last year, giving them my passport to copy as required by the current National Broadcasting Telecommunication Commission of Thailand (NBTC) regulations. Please note, although some may have used other documents to buy a sim card, in fact, according to the NBTC, a passport is the only legally acceptable document that should be used to buy and register a sim card.

I contacted the AIS call centre (dial 1175) last week and spoke to the English speaking staff who told me that the sim card was not registered under the current government requirement, and that I could only do this by going to an AIS or Telewiz (AIS partner) shop.

Yesterday, I went to the local AIS shop. The staff took my phone and checked the number to see if it was registered by entering a USSD code/ hash number and received a code sms in return. Next she used a company phone and registration app, to tap in my son's phone's number, entered my passport number - no other document will do - and then took a photograph of my passport details.

She then entered the information into the app, and my son's phone then received a sms from AIS in Thai - apparently no English - to confirm that the phone had been legally registered.

That's it. I hope this was useful. Please remember, this was in AIS. I don't know what happens at Dtac or True. However, I imagine it's a pretty similar process.

Cheers.

[KhunBENQ]

Whether you will be able to register a previously blocked SIM and receive full service after the cut off date is still unclear.

I think the NBTC said - quoted in several articles - that operators must revive previously unregistered SIMs for up to 12 months after the deadline. After that that, the number is considered unused and can be recycled.

That is a very interesting info.

I didn't find a precise info about that so far.

A sidenote:

Thais slowly seem to become nervous about the registration.

Last Monday the Telewiz shop in the district town was crowded like I have never seen before.

Somewhat stupid, as the registration at 7/11 is a piece of cake for Thais:

(approx 1 min)

* hand over the cellphone to the clerk

* clerk types some magic number on the phone

* insert Thai ID card to the cardreader

* clerk types another magic number to the card reader (a long one, purely numeric, not what you get with *151#), obviously a response sent to the cellphone

* done!

* cellphone beeps, SMS with confirmation

* zero Baht receipt is spit out

Edited July 16, 2015 by KhunBENQ

[dddave]

Suggest the OP visit his service providers kiosk in BKK airport arrivals hall. They can sort it all right there.

[puuchaibaa]

In case you're not near a branch, AIS staff told me foreigners also can register at 7-11. You can use a Thai driver's license as well. And cost of registration is free also for foreigners!