NBTC to extend registration of prepaid SIM cards till August 31

[Inn Between]

I read page one of this thread and wondered if I'd missed something. Everybody's crying about the registration being extended but no one mentioned that you CAN'T MAKE CALLS -- only receive them. That makes sense in case some people (and we're hearing from those ones) didn't know about the requirement, Try to make a call and get the info telling you to register if you want to make calls. If that's how it works, then somebody's doing the correct and logical thing.

[Doc46]

So what is this? An other pissweak attitude from the Government? Same as the Rego for the fishing boats,,,this is an absolute Disgrace How ,,T ,,F,,Can they run a country like this ? No laws enforced ,anyone can do what they like,No one gives a Shit.

[jesimps]

What a bunch of bovine feces!

People have known about this for a long time and the responsible people have done it before the deadline.

The irresponsible should be shut down as promised.

It is not difficult and there is no excuse for not complying on time.

This is the kind of thing that encourages the deadbeats to continue to be flakes.

Thailand is full of flakes, both Thai and expat.

Stand by your original requirement and teach the childish to grow up.

Everyone would benefit..

I've been living here for 3 years and i didnt know about it, i live in a village and dont sit infront of a computer screen too often, last time i logged on to TV was in January infact i didnt even know about the coupe for about a month after, my wife has been away working in Aus while im here to do what ever i want and it doesnt include keeping up with the news.

Interesting comment.

I guess it is coincidence that you are here online for the first time reading about it the day after the deadline.

It is 2015 and there are things we as responsible adults are required to know about and required to do.

There is no place so remote that you can not take care of business today with a minimal effort.

I too lived in a remote village without internet access for years,

but I did make the minimal effort to be responsible.

robert-browning-quote-ignorance-is-not-innocence-but-sin.jpg

Are you an ex schoolteacher by any chance? I don't know about anyone else on here, but I'm browned off with being lectured by you. Stop patronising people for goodness sake, We all know you're perfect, you've told us a thousand times. I pity your poor mrs. Before you go wobbling on again, yes, I did register my sim card, ages ago and I'm also against them extending the deadline.

[willyumiii]

What a bunch of bovine feces!

People have known about this for a long time and the responsible people have done it before the deadline.

The irresponsible should be shut down as promised.

It is not difficult and there is no excuse for not complying on time.

This is the kind of thing that encourages the deadbeats to continue to be flakes.

Thailand is full of flakes, both Thai and expat.

Stand by your original requirement and teach the childish to grow up.

Everyone would benefit..

I've been living here for 3 years and i didnt know about it, i live in a village and dont sit infront of a computer screen too often, last time i logged on to TV was in January infact i didnt even know about the coupe for about a month after, my wife has been away working in Aus while im here to do what ever i want and it doesnt include keeping up with the news.

Interesting comment.

I guess it is coincidence that you are here online for the first time reading about it the day after the deadline.

It is 2015 and there are things we as responsible adults are required to know about and required to do.

There is no place so remote that you can not take care of business today with a minimal effort.

I too lived in a remote village without internet access for years,

but I did make the minimal effort to be responsible.

robert-browning-quote-ignorance-is-not-innocence-but-sin.jpg

Are you an ex schoolteacher by any chance? I don't know about anyone else on here, but I'm browned off with being lectured by you. Stop patronising people for goodness sake, We all know you're perfect, you've told us a thousand times. I pity your poor mrs. Before you go wobbling on again, yes, I did register my sim card, ages ago and I'm also against them extending the deadline.

Jesimps,

You are correct.

I am an ex school teacher.

In fact, I just retired very recently!

But, for you, I will come out of retirement for just a minute to teach you something.

No one has required you to read my comments, or anything I post and

no one has asked you to reply.

This is an open forum and we are all free to post what we like and to read or not read what we like.

You know my name..just keep scrolling if you do not like what I have to say!

I assume you are old enough to make your own choices by now.

Any questions?

P.S. Resorting to personal insults on a forum is usually a good indicator that you have nothing valid to add to the topic.

Class dismissed!

[VIPinthailand]

that sucks. I m out of Thailand for 2 months and my iPhone Keychain is locked with a non registered thai number.

what can I do?

[Longstaff]

Well a lot of very self-righteous comments on this topic! Some people just see bad in every decision this government makes, and take any opportunity for some Thai bashing. And now we're taking a swing at anyone who chooses not to keep up with the news.

In the past week or so I've informed several people of the need to register their SIM cards. Not everyone living here, Thai or farang, is aware of this requirement.

What amazes me is that i get daily spam from my phone provider, all in Thai, but not one message in English (or any other language) informing of the need to register my SIM...communication at its best from the communication company!

80% compliance is quite remarkable. A one month extension of this sort is a pragmatic and logical way to get the other 20% to comply. As pointed out by others, such extensions are commonplace in any country where a government wishes to achieve compliance without being unnecessarily harsh on those who may for whatever reason, not yet have complied. I can recall the police overseas taking a lenient approach to enforcement in the early days of mandatory seat-belts and cycle helmets. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt until the end of the month anyway.

Presumably the phone companies can easily determine the number of SIM's in current use; and this is the figure used by the government.

This isn't a debate about the rights and wrongs of the government policy; which IMHO is another unfortunate example of LOAD, FIRE...AIM

[JDGRUEN]

A lot of SIM cards have been destroyed or are no longer in Thailand. Tourists took them home, the SIMS are in the ocean, in a klong, dropped or thrown out a car window into a ditch and are still there, And dozens of reasons that no one is using them...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Of those 16.9 million sim cards, I wonder how many of them are still even in use?

I could be wrong about this... But my feeling is, if there were ANYWHERE near 16.9 million Thai pre-paid mobile phone customers who suddenly had their ability to make calls cut off (disabled) on phones/numbers they were actually using, we'd be hearing a giant roar of anguish from the Thai population...

And yet, thus far, not hearing much at all thru the grapevine thus far. Kind of makes me think a lot of those unregistered SIMs are dead or unused ones that are just kept sitting around somewhere...

Or, perhaps the NBTC is fudging in claiming that it has already cut off calling rights to that huge a volume of SIM cards.

[Sutty]

Really baffled here what is the problem or is it me. Seems to me it's a national sport for certain feranges to say f***k the Thai government and our host country if in your home country sum registration was compulsory you would register I know this but when you decide to live in a lovely host country thailand you decide not to or some of you do WHY what is it you think maybe you are better than that's or just that's IMHO of course

[reenatinnakor]

Living here on and off for 7 years.....This is also the first time I have heard about it.

But I can't remember the last time I used my sim to call a cell phone or landline....Everyone is on Whatsapp, Wechat, Skype or Viber to make calls.

[cumgranosalum]

It just beggars belief!

[cumgranosalum]

It just beggars belief!

[cumgranosalum]

Well a lot of very self-righteous comments on this topic! Some people just see bad in every decision this government makes, and take any opportunity for some Thai bashing. And now we're taking a swing at anyone who chooses not to keep up with the news.

In the past week or so I've informed several people of the need to register their SIM cards. Not everyone living here, Thai or farang, is aware of this requirement.

What amazes me is that i get daily spam from my phone provider, all in Thai, but not one message in English (or any other language) informing of the need to register my SIM...communication at its best from the communication company!

80% compliance is quite remarkable. A one month extension of this sort is a pragmatic and logical way to get the other 20% to comply. As pointed out by others, such extensions are commonplace in any country where a government wishes to achieve compliance without being unnecessarily harsh on those who may for whatever reason, not yet have complied. I can recall the police overseas taking a lenient approach to enforcement in the early days of mandatory seat-belts and cycle helmets. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt until the end of the month anyway.

Presumably the phone companies can easily determine the number of SIM's in current use; and this is the figure used by the government.

This isn't a debate about the rights and wrongs of the government policy; which IMHO is another unfortunate example of LOAD, FIRE...AIM

This isn't "thai bashing" (cliche!) - it is government bashing.

[thhMan]

My 12 year old who doesnt follow news and prefers watching Scooby Doo, just today got an SMS telling her she needs to register her SIM

Never gave it much thought till todays SMS

[mikiea]

What a bunch of bovine feces!

People have known about this for a long time and the responsible people have done it before the deadline.

The irresponsible should be shut down as promised.

It is not difficult and there is no excuse for not complying on time.

This is the kind of thing that encourages the deadbeats to continue to be flakes.

Thailand is full of flakes, both Thai and expat.

Stand by your original requirement and teach the childish to grow up.

Everyone would benefit..

I've been living here for 3 years and i didnt know about it, i live in a village and dont sit infront of a computer screen too often, last time i logged on to TV was in January infact i didnt even know about the coupe for about a month after, my wife has been away working in Aus while im here to do what ever i want and it doesnt include keeping up with the news.

Interesting comment.

I guess it is coincidence that you are here online for the first time reading about it the day after the deadline.

It is 2015 and there are things we as responsible adults are required to know about and required to do.

There is no place so remote that you can not take care of business today with a minimal effort.

I too lived in a remote village without internet access for years,

but I did make the minimal effort to be responsible.

robert-browning-quote-ignorance-is-not-innocence-but-sin.jpg

seems to me you are riding a too tall horse, kinda high and almighty. ....love to see the all mity fall offa their big horsys. ....:-)

[Anthony5]

In other news today : the grace period to apply with the helmet law is also extended with another month.

[doesitmattter]

A small point I know but that's an extension of 31 days, not 30.

A small point I know but from August 1 (when this article was written or posted) it's an extension of 30 days, not 31.

[cumgranosalum]

so it seems that if the deadline had been adhered to, Thailand's phone companies would have lost 16 million customers!

...and that's assuming the govt figures for registration are correct

[cumgranosalum]

In other news today : the grace period to apply with the helmet law is also extended with another month.

are you referring to the helmets worn on motorbikes or the ones concerned with regulating phone companies?

[Nerone]

If these 16.9 million users did not register within the six months they were allocated, what makes the NBTC think they will do so by allowing another 30 days. Some prepaid cards are used for criminal activity such as drug trafficking and insurgency, so lets give them another 30 days.This country is all talk and no action.

Agree, except definition of country...

[deeks]

So what is this? An other pissweak attitude from the Government? Same as the Rego for the fishing boats,,,this is an absolute Disgrace How ,,T ,,F,,Can they run a country like this ? No laws enforced ,anyone can do what they like,No one gives a Shit.

As they say in the nice way "if you don't likeit leave it" or as Assies say "like it or F off"

[deeks]

Well a lot of very self-righteous comments on this topic! Some people just see bad in every decision this government makes, and take any opportunity for some Thai bashing. And now we're taking a swing at anyone who chooses not to keep up with the news.

In the past week or so I've informed several people of the need to register their SIM cards. Not everyone living here, Thai or farang, is aware of this requirement.

What amazes me is that i get daily spam from my phone provider, all in Thai, but not one message in English (or any other language) informing of the need to register my SIM...communication at its best from the communication company!

80% compliance is quite remarkable. A one month extension of this sort is a pragmatic and logical way to get the other 20% to comply. As pointed out by others, such extensions are commonplace in any country where a government wishes to achieve compliance without being unnecessarily harsh on those who may for whatever reason, not yet have complied. I can recall the police overseas taking a lenient approach to enforcement in the early days of mandatory seat-belts and cycle helmets. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt until the end of the month anyway.

Presumably the phone companies can easily determine the number of SIM's in current use; and this is the figure used by the government.

This isn't a debate about the rights and wrongs of the government policy; which IMHO is another unfortunate example of LOAD, FIRE...AIM

exactly, well said.

[crazygreg44]

Of those 16.9 million sim cards, I wonder how many of them are still even in use?

I could be wrong about this... But my feeling is, if there were ANYWHERE near 16.9 million Thai pre-paid mobile phone customers who suddenly had their ability to make calls cut off (disabled) on phones/numbers they were actually using, we'd be hearing a giant roar of anguish from the Thai population...

And yet, thus far, not hearing much at all thru the grapevine thus far. Kind of makes me think a lot of those unregistered SIMs are dead or unused ones that are just kept sitting around somewhere...

Or, perhaps the NBTC is fudging in claiming that it has already cut off calling rights to that huge a volume of SIM cards.

You must have missed post #50 !

"Failing to register before the deadline ended, the remaining users can only receive calls while other voice and data services are suspended.

According to the NBTC, among the 16 million unregistered numbers, only 4.8 million or 30 per cent were used regularly."

most of these numbers are numbers that went out of use, got lost, or the phones got wet, were discontinued or owners died, SIM card threwn away.

And another poster here claims that in Europe they don't register SIM cards. Hey, you cannot even buy a SIM card anywhere without proof of ID or passport, and registration of your adress, at least in Germany. They don't hand out registration free SIM's anywhere in this place . . .this rule's been in effect for as long as mobile phones exist !

[NongKhaiKid]

What! Another back pedal, surely not!

No forward gears in LoS just the complete high and low range of reverse.

[jacko45k]

If these 16.9 million users did not register within the six months they were allocated, what makes the NBTC think they will do so by allowing another 30 days. Some prepaid cards are used for criminal activity such as drug trafficking and insurgency, so lets give them another 30 days.This country is all talk and no action.

Well only the fact that they cannot make outgoing calls for a month may prompt therm to get on with it. Mind you most of my wife's relatives never make outgoing calls, just let it ring twice and expect to be called back.

[lvr181]

Are 191 emergency numbers used for criminal activity? The mind boggles at the deep thinking that goes into some "announcements". Lets punish criminals AND those needing the use of the emergency numbers, equally. TITS.

[JudyB]

Are 191 emergency numbers used for criminal activity? The mind boggles at the deep thinking that goes into some "announcements". Lets punish criminals AND those needing the use of the emergency numbers, equally. TITS.

Unregistered phones can still call 191, they just can't make ordinary calls

[stoli]

Of those 16.9 million sim cards, I wonder how many of them are still even in use?

I could be wrong about this... But my feeling is, if there were ANYWHERE near 16.9 million Thai pre-paid mobile phone customers who suddenly had their ability to make calls cut off (disabled) on phones/numbers they were actually using, we'd be hearing a giant roar of anguish from the Thai population...

And yet, thus far, not hearing much at all thru the grapevine thus far. Kind of makes me think a lot of those unregistered SIMs are dead or unused ones that are just kept sitting around somewhere...

Or, perhaps the NBTC is fudging in claiming that it has already cut off calling rights to that huge a volume of SIM cards.

Every time I visit Vietnam, Cambodia, or the PI, I always get a new SIM card for the that visit. Same thing here. Tourists get one for a week, and then go home. Of course there are going to be millions unregistered. No big mystery.

[duckmandon]

Thailand, the hub of extensions...

Yes except visa extensions.

[NongKhaiKid]

Are 191 emergency numbers used for criminal activity? The mind boggles at the deep thinking that goes into some "announcements". Lets punish criminals AND those needing the use of the emergency numbers, equally. TITS.

Are 191 emergency numbers used for criminal activity ?

Yes to a certain extent as if you call the police it's answered by the mafia.