Plan to track all foreigners - NOT JUST TOURISTS - by SIM cards moves forward

[BuriramDevelopers]

Guess i'll be home then 24/ 7 365 days a year . Sitting on my sofa....omg sounds like a waterproof plan again....

 

Edited August 9, 2016 by BuriramDevelopers

[Merylhighground]

2 minutes ago, chiang mai said:

 

And quite right too! Why should Thailand open up it's borders to anyone who  simply wants to live here, if you don't meet the criteria to be able to remain then you can't stay, just like any other country. Part of the problem is that every penniless (and often scurrilous) Westerner seems to think they should be allowed to live here unhindered and the government is now making it clear they cannot.

 

Foreigners have abused the tourist visa run system for many many years, they then went on more recently to abuse the Ed-visa and doubtless thousands are still abusing the marriage visa for business and land ownership purposes. It's high time there was a crackdown on these things otherwise, legitimate visa holders get tarred with he same brush as the casualists and the scroungers.

 

I can't disagree with any of that, especially that so many of the regulations were abused to death by so many, but the snag is that now legitimate visa holders in the past, who may not be in a good job, wealthy, or on a good pension will be swept up in the ever increasing tightening of regulations too.

[louse1953]

5 hours ago, anthony0339 said:

So is it moving forward or being reviewed on Tuesday. These Thai visa headlines really need to be check for accuracy.

Nah,that's the way they like it.

[Peterphuket]

19 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Well I have been living in Thailand for 7 years now and starting to get that biblical feeling. The bible says there shall be 7 fat years and 7 lean years. I think I know what is around the corner. I guess it will not be long before we get a 666 stamped on our foreheads. One thing about Thailand they like to spread the misery around to one and all. Its a equality effort the government wishes us to share with the locals. 

Well, I living here now for more than 17 years, and always it go's up for me for more than 7 years, do you think it will go down now, already for 2 years?

[Peterphuket]

22 minutes ago, MockingJay said:

Thailand would deserve a complete, worldwide boycott for a year - no foreign tourists, no expats, no foreign investment (not only 90% down, but a 100%) all foreign investors pulling out, closing the companies, pulling all possible money out and laying off staff for a year, married to Thai foreigners moving their families out of Thailand, cutting all money supply routes to old grannies in Northeast, all family ties cut. No export into Thailand, and no import from either. 

We'd then see what happens to the "Country of the Free"... Oh - forgot - all Thais abroad would be sent home and kicked out of their businesses, houses, land, not allowed to enter or apply for a foreign visa also, for a full year. Wouldn't that be something? Having those pricks gulp down a good bucket of their own medicine might change their mindset... perhaps...

That's only wishful thinking, it will not happens.

[davo2003]

The problem with this is it's like gun control. When you force something on society only the naive and law abiding go along. Criminals will always have guns, if they can't find one, they'll make one. Criminals will work around this with ease meanwhile tourism takes a hit, LOS turning into "hey you look suspicious". The smart thing to do? Use existing technology and keep quiet about it. That would yield much better results all around. This sounds like an idea from a failing and paranoid African regime or some such place.

Edited August 9, 2016 by davo2003
Addition.

[chiang mai]

1 minute ago, Merylhighground said:

 

I can't disagree with any of that, especially that so many of the regulations were abused to death by so many, but the snag is that now legitimate visa holders in the past, who may not be in a good job, wealthy, or on a good pension will be swept up in the ever increasing tightening of regulations too.

 

I don't mean to appear harsh but rules are rules and they haven't been suddenly imposed, the fact they have been bent or ignored in the past is not useful in considering the future. My sympathies however truly do go out to those who thought the party might last forever, the fact is that change is the only thing in life that is constant and that's almost impossible to plan for.

[louse1953]

34 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Did anyone read the article before venting there splean. 

Quote "Foreign tourists would be able to continue to use SIM cards brought in from other countries under roaming service and would not be required to turn their location on. They would only receive a location-tracking SIM card once they showed their passport to purchase one from a Thai service provider."

 

So if you already have a sim you won't be getting  a new one. If your really paranoid go out tomorow and buy another sim put a bit of money on it and use it every month or so so it stays active. Then I'd for any reason you lose or break you now sim card you have a spare so therefore will never need to buy one if the silly law comes in which I personaly doubt it ever will

But,but,what if i lose the 2nd sim.Should i buy 3 just in case or 4 to be really safe.

[Deepinthailand]

Still no one cares to read it properly

Again I quote "Foreign tourists would be able to continue to use SIM cards brought in from other countries under roaming service and would not be required to turn their location on. They would only receive a location-tracking SIM card once they showed their passport to purchase one from a Thai service provider."

 

Quite clear won't affect anyone already here using a thai sim. 

[Deepinthailand]

11 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

But,but,what if i lose the 2nd sim.Should i buy 3 just in case or 4 to be really safe.

Well if you loose that many would have to question if euthanasia might not be an option. 

Plus you can always get you mrs or any Thai to buy one for you as they are not going to be included simples

Edited August 9, 2016 by Deepinthailand

[tomacht8]

6 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

Still no one cares to read it properly

Again I quote "Foreign tourists would be able to continue to use SIM cards brought in from other countries under roaming service and would not be required to turn their location on. They would only receive a location-tracking SIM card once they showed their passport to purchase one from a Thai service provider."

 

Quite clear won't affect anyone already here using a thai sim. 

Quite clear won't affect anyone already here using a thai sim. 
Wrong, read it properly!

Announced last week by the national telecom regulator, the plan would require anyone – not just tourists but everyone who doesn’t hold a Thai passport – to use the new SIM card .
So it will affect people holding an old thai sim, if they not hold a Thai passport.

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, soc said:

l think that they can track you even with the phone switched off.

There was a case in Australia where the cops tracked people delivering large amounts of marijuana  & they had their phones switched off.

You have to take sim and battery out.

[Deepinthailand]

5 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

Quite clear won't affect anyone already here using a thai sim. 
Wrong, read it properly!

Announced last week by the national telecom regulator, the plan would require anyone – not just tourists but everyone who doesn’t hold a Thai passport – to use the new SIM card .
So it will affect people holding an old thai sim, if they not hold a Thai passport.

Clearly states in today's article what I said what was said in earlier articles I have no idea.

[Basil B]

7 hours ago, oilinki said:

I'm quite curious about the technical solution. Why a special SIM card is needed or is it just a way to say, that these numbers will be actively triangulated without a warrant?

 

AFAIK there are no GPS enabled SIM cards yet. 

 

One possibility could be that these SIM are using specific APN for 'free' channel to broadcast phone's GPS information to the government and it would be mandatory for foreigners to have GPS enabled on their phones?

 

 

 

 

Not all phones have GPS...

 

Probably will just notify the nearest cell tower locations.

 

If this is intended to use the phones own GPS I am sure it would not take long for someone to invent a APP that will give false positions...

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, Sunderland said:

Give me a free sim card if you want. I won't pay for one. Make me. Go on. Do it. I dare you. 

 

It will go straight in the bin. 

 

If you tell me I have to carry a phone with one of these sim cards in it, I won't. What will you do about it, sunshine? Well, what?

 

Deport me? OK ... do it.

Exactly,did without them before,can do it again.

[free123]

well last time when i was not sure how to insert and activate the data sim into my new smartphone the guy at the seven eleven would do it for me simple easy...i did not even need a passport or any other form of id.....

sure i need plenty of bhats, because money talks in the land of smiles :-))))

if they require u to  carry a sim and give it back when u leave simply store it at some guest house toilet seat ...before u fly home pick it up and give it back to them.....if u are a permanent resident just  and stick the sim into a banana and let a monkey or elephant have it.....

[Morakot]

7 hours ago, waldroj said:

A word of caution!

 

Before we all get too excited about this post, I can't seem to find any other sources (other than Khaosod English) running this story.

 

 

 

It running here, but a rather different take on the matter. Khaosod's sensationalist stance is hard to beat...

 

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2001459/thailand-mulls-tracking-tourists-through-mobile-phone-sim

Edited August 9, 2016 by Morakot

[Thian]

3 hours ago, dcsw53 said:

Didn't these so-called experts know that many tourists from Europe ( don't know about USA and Oz ) have contracted cell phones that only work with supplied SIM cards.

 

Getting one at the airport is not an option so this will not be a great advert for the high end farnangs they drone on about attracting.

 

Don't tell em, let them find out. It will be wide in the newspapers that they can't use their cellphone in Thailand ONLY....

 

I think vely funny.

 

I just had Paypal on the phone but they won't let me ship (and pay of course) anything to Thailand...They took it of their list of countries. Why would that be???

Edited August 9, 2016 by Thian

[Morakot]

Thailand mulls tracking tourists through mobile phone SIM cards

Tuesday, 09 August, 2016, 6:37pm

 

Thailand could issue all foreign tourists with location-tracking SIM cards under plans announced on Tuesday by the telecoms regulator, which has denied the project is an invasion of privacy.

 

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2001459/thailand-mulls-tracking-tourists-through-mobile-phone-sim

 

 

[mfharrison]

will this mean that i dont have to do 90 day reports?

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, Wilsonandson said:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Thailand-mulls-location-tracking-tourist-SIM-cards-30292551.html
Latest!

'Foreigners working in Thailand would not be required to have the SIM cards as they already have to register their details with authorities, Takorn said.

Since last year, foreigners who work in Thailand have to show their passports before obtaining pay-as-you-go SIM cards or mobile phone contracts.'

So who is left after that lot.We all had to register,if not registered originally.So it is only new tourists,.......maybe.
 

[Sunderland]

Force someone to carry their passport if you want, but force someone to carry a phone?

 

Nope! 

 

Where in the world must you carry a phone???????

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Now there's a new business...Thai SIM for sale to Foreigners ;-)

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

I got news for them- I am not eorking in Thailand and thus have no need for a work permit. I have already registered my cell phone as required and have shown my passport and so has every other  foreigner and every Thai person. The real problem is that those who break the law or  remain under the radar will use a throwaway cell in someone else's name or enter the country illegally and never abide by any  law. that's why they are called criminals. The minister might want to ask the police why they don't police the openly criminal activities that take place daily and are well know .

If you have watched The Wire,you will know how this all works.If people want to be crims or terrorists,there is no stopping them.you may catch them eventually,but you wont stop them.Just lets the public think they are being kept safe by govt.Happens everywhere.

[Sunderland]

Just throw the sim card away and report it stolen. 

[bristolgeoff]

I think most people who live in the land of smiles already have they passport on the sim card they use.my sim card is registered with my passport.so doing this seems silly and wasting time

[Thechook]

Just put ankle brackets on everyone arriving and confine them to a 100 metre radius of their hotels and homes.

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

I spoke to a Government official back in 2003 who told me "you won't be allowed to live here after 2010". 

 

Right out of the horse's mouth. 

And are you still here?

[Tatertot]

Recently lost my apple device. Got on the find your phone thingy. There it was.

Whatever tech, didn't seem reliant on special SIM. Fortunately a quick call to the phone found it deposited in a bank, where I had never been. Retrieved it no prob.

 

i can't help but wonder if this isn't a "war on terror" program sponsered by the west,

using the " Thai" body politic as cover. 

[dcnx]

22 minutes ago, louse1953 said:

And are you still here?

 

Thais are always late.