Thailand: prepaid SIM cards users will have to register

Starting February 1st, it will be mandatory now to show your passport to buy a prepaid SIM in Thailand. And for people who already use prepaid cards, they will have to register their identity so it will be linked to their number or lose just it.

This requirement is part of a new regulation which will start on 1 February and requires that each mobile phone number can be related to an identified user. But if after that date, it will be impossible to buy a SIM card without proof of identity, those who already own an unregistered SIM card will have six months to make the necessary.

In Thailand, there are more than 88 million unregistered prepaid SIM cards. After July 31, if their users did not register, they will no longer work.

This measure was put in place to protect the public against fraud committed using these cards. This is also a matter of “national security” as the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission wants every SIM card to be linked to an user because obviously unregistered users can not be tracked by the government.

To register, you must bring your SIM card and proof of identity to your service operator or in a 7-Eleven where registration will also be possible.