NBTC to propose special SIM cards for foreign tourists so they can be traced

[snoop1130]

NBTC to propose special SIM cards for foreign tourists so they can be traced

BANGKOK:  -- The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is to propose the telecommunications committee the introduction of special SIM cards for mobile or smart phones used by foreign tourists while they are staying in Thailand.

NBTC secretary-general Thakorn Tanthasit said Wednesday that special SIM cards for mobile phones used by foreign tourists was put on trial use in Malaysia and the result is satisfactory in a way that the foreign visitors can be easily traced.

He pointed out that normally foreign tourists were required to inform immigration officials where they stay while in Thailand. With the introduction of special SIM cards, he said that the visitors would be traced more easily in case some of them might engage in illegal activities.

Once the proposal gets a greenlight from the telecom committee, Thakorn said he would invite representatives of mobile phone service providers for consultations, especially the technical aspect for the system.

He maintained that this is a matter of national security and it should not be deemed as a violation of the right to privacy of individuals.

Thai nationals are not required to use SIM cards which can be used to trace back to their locations because they were required to show their ID cards when they bought SIM cards, explained Mr Thakorn.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/nbtc-propose-special-sim-cards-foreign-tourists-can-traced/

-- THAI PBS 2016-08-02

[sjaak327]

They have got to be kidding. Good I have a local sim for over 10 years now, and they will have to remove that one from my prying hands.

 

Of course it is a blatant invasion of privacy AND I as a foreigner was also required to present my passport for my local sim to even work after their registration <deleted> two years or so ago.

 

Also, people that bring their own sim used and simply roam are not going to be easily traced, wonder if those Einsteins ever thought of that..

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2016 by sjaak327

[keith101]

so they want to treat all tourists as suspected criminals , a good way to lose tourists to other countries .

[taichiplanet]

the ones that want to engage in illegal activities won't be carrying those sims around with them anyway.

Just offer us all ankle monitors with the promise of a free beer every week and most would gladly wear it!

[Hawk]

In Malaysia there are no special sim cards for foreigners, just ordinary sim cards that need to be registered. I only had to show my passport to get one, easy enough.

 

 In Laos and Cambodia no ID of any kind was needed, just plug and use.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Hawk

[Global Guy]

They just keep coming up with good ideas to increase tourism, don't they? Tell every tourist that the Thai government wants to be able to track you when you're here.

[jackinthebox]

18 minutes ago, sjaak327 said:

They have got to be kidding. Good I have a local sim for over 10 years now, and they will have to remove that one from my prying hands.

 

Of course it is a blatant invasion of privacy AND I as a foreigner was also required to present my passport for my local sim to even work after their registration <deleted> two years or so ago.

 

Also, people that bring their own sim used and simply roam are not going to be easily traced, wonder if those Einsteins ever thought of that..

 

 

 

 

You are right. I also use a local D-Tac SIM since 2010. Last year I had to register it with my Passport. So why spread new special-SIM-Cards for tourists? To make money (higher fares for 3G services and calls than for the native Cards)?! If the are really worrying about the foreigners, why not just trace all the the SIMs that are registrated with a foreign passport?

[Misterwhisper]

Of course the basic idea is not bad. However, the way in which it's been presented by Mr. Thakorn is the typical condescending - and unfortunately xenophobic - argument of a local bureaucrat, as it paints all visiting foreigners as potential criminals.

He could have packaged it much more benevolently: The special SIM cards will assist us to ensure visitors' safety while vacationing in the kingdom and help to locate them faster if they are in some sort of trouble.

I have a better idea if good Mr. Thakorn is oh so concerned about "national security": Just microchip each foreigner right at the airport like cattle.

Or even better still: Close Thailand's borders to all those pesky foreigners if they really pose such a threat to Thailand's "national security".

And besides: What would prevent a criminal NOT to use that special SIM card and instead have a like-minded local purchase one for therm?

[tifino]

I always have a Dual Sim mobile, so the thaiSIM will be going into the Unused space in the phone, and left there unused...

 

and BTW  I won't be paying (or ever using) for one of theirs, as I already have my CoverMore Insurance freebie that comes with my WorldWide Insurance Policy, and that SIM still has 4 years life left in it

 

 

and who's to know I have already taken my CoverMore out from it's slot!!! - because heh heh heh I am always prepared and so, so, helpful to leave a nice warm slot in the mobile, ready for when they Thai) might give oneSIM to me to insert

There's no law against having a SIM-less phone, as in that state, it is just becomes a neat little camera.

It even fires up nicely without any SIM, for any-preflight power-up check at the Airport too.

 

The only possible glitch in my theory is the question of whether Thai mobile phone networks have encryption, that requires a key that might only be located via a registered sim??

 

 

[Mango Bob]

So if someone wanted to do illegal acts here.  Buy a cheap phone and put the sims in and leave it at one location.   This is very stupid idea with many ways to fool the authorized.  Someone who here to hide or commit crimes will surely get around this ridiculous idea. 

[tifino]

 

and the Notice is all, and ONLY, about accusing all foreigners of Ill-doing... 

 

...what about a more humane reason???

- such as to give the Authorities a better chance of locating a foreigner's domicile, if their mother country needs to inform them of some hometown personal (tragedy etc etc)

and for whatever reason the mobile isn't receiving their calls direct

Edited August 2, 2016 by tifino

[KittenKong]

Can these government officials really be that stupid? Or are they just being disingenuous?

All SIM cards can be traced to within one cell area, and by triangulation the location can potentially be refined further. No exceptions.

Assuming the identity of the purchaser was noted at the time of sale and that the original purchaser is still using it then the government can always tell who is using what SIM for what purpose, and where they are.

[madmitch]

And if the tourist doesn't own a mobile phone?

[KittenKong]

1 minute ago, madmitch said:

And if the tourist doesn't own a mobile phone?

He will be required to buy one at double the Thai price.

[Lannig]

This has to be the most visitor-hostile statement I've read in quite some time.
Basically it makes every tourist entering Thailand a suspect. How welcoming.

Time to hurry up buying a couple of SIMs while we can get the same one as everyone.
After this, for most people it will be easy to have friend / family show their ID card for us. I've done it sometimes when having to deal with 7/11 employees unable to handle a passport-based identification and I was getting bored of waiting for them to figure it out.

[JAG]

Wife/stepson/daughter/brother in law/father in law/mother in law/ sister in law or any one of "Rabbits friends and relations" would be happy to register a sim card for me.......

And of course all those foreign gentlemen engaged in the "informal trade in various recreational substances" on the upper reaches of Sukhumvit Road will be registered won't they?

As for national security, what are these wicked foreigners going to do - use their phones to send photos of the clapped out aircraft carrier, or the broken submarines which will inevitably end up strapped to its sides?

It's just another way to screw cash out of the tourist visitor.

Edited August 2, 2016 by JAG

[baboon]

10 minutes ago, JAG said:

Wife/stepson/daughter/brother in law/father in law/mother in law/ sister in law or any one of "Rabbits friends and relations" would be happy to register a sim card for me.......

And of course all those foreign gentlemen engaged in the "informal trade in various recreational substances" on the upper reaches of Sukhumvit Road will be registered won't they?

As for national security, what are these wicked foreigners going to do - use their phones to send photos of the clapped out aircraft carrier, or the broken submarines which will inevitably end up strapped to its sides?

It's just another way to screw cash out of the tourist visitor.

I suppose if you have a wife/brother in law etc, you aren't a tourist per se, even if you enter on a tourist visa.

[Sunderland]

I am here!

[Lannig]

I can feel a new business coming up here, people selling SIMs to tourists, registered to Thai IDs (possibly dead people or stolen IDs) with a significant surcharge over the regular price...

Probably still much cheaper than the official tourist SIM.

[baboon]

42 minutes ago, madmitch said:

And if the tourist doesn't own a mobile phone?

Welcome to my world. The barneys I have had with security at various airports when I told them I don't have one: No, it isn't in my hold luggage. No I haven't lost it. Read my lips - I. Do. Not. Have. A. Phone. I. Am. Not. (Insert world leader of your choice). I. Do. Not. Need. One.

Of course that makes them even more suspicious you are up to no good, so you are shagged either way...

[BuckBee]

What a load of uneducated nonsense .

No special sim card is needed, tourists or anyone who buys a sim through normal channels are required show ID (passport) same as thai residents so they can track us anyway if required, the network does tracking not a magic sim .

Very poorly presented & totally not needed, most of the proper bad guys won't be using a sim in any way linked to themselves, you can actually buy pre registered sims in MBK which ideal for the criminal tourist use .

Real issue as always is police & immigration corruption that allows scum of the earth operate here, no magic sim card going help with that, even 44 not working well on that ! lol .

[Artisi]

Of course the real question is, how does having a registered sim card tell the authorities if they ever got off the arse for 5 minutes- that any particular person is engaged in a criminal act. 

 

Just another stupid April fools day trick randomly carried out midyear. 

[Lannig]

5 hours ago, BuckBee said:

What a load of uneducated nonsense .

No special sim card is needed, tourists or anyone who buys a sim through normal channels are required show ID (passport) same as thai residents so they can track us anyway if required, the network does tracking not a magic sim .

Very poorly presented & totally not needed, most of the proper bad guys won't be using a sim in any way linked to themselves, you can actually buy pre registered sims in MBK which ideal for the criminal tourist use .

Real issue as always is police & immigration corruption that allows scum of the earth operate here, no magic sim card going help with that, even 44 not working well on that ! lol .

Ah... learned something today, that business I was foreseeing actually already exists then!

[Bluespunk]

8 hours ago, tifino said:

 

and the Notice is all, and ONLY, about accusing all foreigners of Ill-doing... 

 

...what about a more humane reason???

- such as to give the Authorities a better chance of locating a foreigner's domicile, if their mother country needs to inform them of some hometown personal (tragedy etc etc)

and for whatever reason the mobile isn't receiving their calls direct

Yeah, right, that's why they are doing this...

[Bluespunk]

''He maintained that this is a matter of national security and it should not be deemed as a violation of the right to privacy of individuals.''

 

And I maintain that explanation is BS.

 

[digibum]

9 hours ago, sjaak327 said:

They have got to be kidding. Good I have a local sim for over 10 years now, and they will have to remove that one from my prying hands.

 

Of course it is a blatant invasion of privacy AND I as a foreigner was also required to present my passport for my local sim to even work after their registration <deleted> two years or so ago.

 

Also, people that bring their own sim used and simply roam are not going to be easily traced, wonder if those Einsteins ever thought of that..

 

 

 

 

 

Except you would have a foreign SIM that is roaming.  How many Thais would have those?  I think those people would stick out like a sore thumb for anybody wanting to monitor foreigners in Thailand.  

 

[smedly]

oh dear, I wish authorities in Thailand would research "with experts" before they come up with these absurd ideas, as a few (including me) have recently mentioned, it's like a junior school project for the under tens to come up with some constructive thinking...............for a ten year old

 

 

Here we have "adults" looking for solutions to things in all the wrong places, I hate using the word stupid so I won't, but who ever came up with this magnanimous idea needs to be removed from office............and sent back to school were I am sure he will feel very comfortable and might even feel a sense of achievement after a year or so.

 

First we have - all sim cards must be registered, as far as I understand that has gone to the big Thailand  failure hub in the sky, it was never going to work and never ever going to achieve anything, in saying that I actually agreed with it.....but the reality is...tirak get me a sim card - fail

 

 

Lets look at the crime statistics in Thailand and then try to work out why they are targeting one of the primary contributors to Thailands GDP....tourism

 

 

So tourists account for maybe 0.000001% of crime in Thailand but account for 17% (likely a lot more - possibly as much as 25%) of GDP

Thais account for 99.999999% of crimes in Thailand

Thai crime on tourist is high...a guess would be that of all crimes committed in Thailand at least 5-10% are on tourists

 

Everything they are trying to achieve can be accomplished by proactive policing

 

and some brainbox has come up with this absolute stupidity.....send them all back to junior school were they just might impress someone.....and keep them there

 

 

 

Forgive them for they know not what they do

 

and before anyone tries to take a swipe at the current government - this nonsense has been going on for decades, if anything the current government is making a marginal improvement but nowhere near enough  

[digibum]

8 hours ago, Mango Bob said:

So if someone wanted to do illegal acts here.  Buy a cheap phone and put the sims in and leave it at one location.   This is very stupid idea with many ways to fool the authorized.  Someone who here to hide or commit crimes will surely get around this ridiculous idea. 

 

If you assume illegal acts to be robbing banks.  On the other hand, if illegal acts includes crimes like posting things to social media that the government would not like reported . . .  well, it's pretty effective.  

 

 

[sjaak327]

8 minutes ago, digibum said:

 

Except you would have a foreign SIM that is roaming.  How many Thais would have those?  I think those people would stick out like a sore thumb for anybody wanting to monitor foreigners in Thailand.  

 

Precious few of course. I obviously was referring to tourists with foreign sims. I believe the vast majority of tourists don't bother purchasing a Thai sim. So the goal described in the OP is not the real goal of this new tourist sim.

 

Yes they would stick out, but putting a name to the sim would not be possible without cooperation of all those foreign providers...

Edited August 2, 2016 by sjaak327

[digibum]

5 minutes ago, smedly said:

 

So tourists account for maybe 0.000001% of crime in Thailand but account for 17% (likely a lot more - possibly as much as 25%) of GDP

 

 

Or, instead of guessing you could look up the numbers.

 

Quote

Tourism makes a larger contribution to Thailand's economy (about 8.5 percent of GDP^[70]) than that of any other Asian nation. Tourists come to Thailand for a variety of reasons, primarily for recreation on its beaches. With ongoing insurgency in the deep south, Bangkok has seen a large increase in tourism in recent years.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Thailand#Tourism