Biometric proof to be required in deep South to get SIM card

[snoop1130]

Biometric proof to be required in deep South to get SIM card

By JIRAPAN BOONNOON
THE NATION

 

 

In a move to step up national security, mobile phone users in the deep South will be required to register their SIM cards using biometric data starting on June 1.

 

For the first time in Thailand, both fingerprint and facial recognition software will be used to ensure that people buying SIM cards are correctly identified. 

 

The National Broadcasting and Telecom Commission (NBTC)’s secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said Thursday anyone buying a SIM card for their phone in Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani provinces and in the two districts of Na Thawi and Jana in Songkhla will be verified against the government’s central population database.

 

According to the NBTC, existing users of mobile phone numbers in these provinces will also be required to re-register their SIM cards with operators within 120 days or their numbers will be taken out of |service.

 

In the next phase of the process, another two districts of Songkhla, Saba Yoi and Thepa, will also be subject to the same requirement.

 

In practice, new users are required to present their ID cards to operators for verification at the point of service. The ID cards are inserted into a card reader to check the actual identity of buyer against the central population database, which stores electronic photographs and fingerprints of all adults. If the biometric data is not identical, it will not be possible to register a SIM card.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30316323

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-5-25

[sungod]

Another newspaper says this is going nationwide on Jan 1st 2018.

[KhunBENQ]

3 hours ago, sungod said:

Another newspaper says this is going nationwide on Jan 1st 2018.

That's what they write.

Hectic activity based on paranoia and incompetence is peaking.

 

Currently supplying some devices to the south.

What a joke? Terrorists can not get a SIM card from elsewhere?

 

Who bets that it will be in force nationwide in 2018?

 

Drawing conclusions from the report in the other newspaper you could think that there is no plan how a foreigner could get a SIM card.

So wait for the revival of the "foreigner tracking SIM card"

[Old Croc]

There are so many ways for the bad guys to get around this it makes a mockery of the declared intent of curbing terrorism. If/when it goes nationwide it will only serve to annoy much of the population.

Cars, vests, backpacks, and many other everyday items are also used by explosive makers. Are there plans for similar ID checks for these things?  

Once the initial funding is distributed it will eventually fall into the abyss where most of these crackpot ideas end up.

 

Edited May 26, 2017 by Old Croc

[Rhys]

Takanorn  apparently is a genius....

[Juan B Tong]

I wonder whose relative will get the contact to supply the scanners?

Edited May 26, 2017 by Juan B Tong

[Luckysilk]

Currently a tourist needs to show his/her passport now fingerprints on top of this ?

 

Had family visit last week and the process at Swampy with the queue took almost 45 minutes.

 

Stupid law.

[geisha]

Be good if viewers report the machines (?) being installed in Bangkok Chiang Maî and Pattaya. 

[Godang]

George Orwell springs to mind.

[JohnJay]

The money spent to implement this could be better spent in so many places. Why would someone register it with their real name when they can buy a SIM card anonymously from any neighboring country? Who comes up with this shit?

[ksamuiguy]

Just look at our neighbors.

They have had this technology for years and it works.But, it dose keep a record which is a No, No here in "The Kingdom"

The technology exists here and has for a long time, but again a record of the "deed" is kept and recorder , backed up in several locations.

 

The biggest success being 7-11, but that is another story. many more examples out there, and they work.

[sungod]

6 hours ago, JohnJay said:

The money spent to implement this could be better spent in so many places. Why would someone register it with their real name when they can buy a SIM card anonymously from any neighboring country? Who comes up with this shit?

Because they would have to register their Thai SIM card with their Government ID card or passport if a foreigner I suppose.

[Bangkok Barry]

This, like the abandoned plan that all visitors were required to buy a tracking SIM card, will be quietly forgotten. Why, because there are so many loopholes. Anyone can buy a SIM overseas and bring it to Thailand and use roaming. Or are they planning on blocking all foreign SIMs? This is yet another example of Thai's inability to think or plan beyond stage one.