Thailand tightens SIM card registration to fight online scams
Thai mobile users must register in person or through applications provided by service operators, service centres, authorised dealers and retail outlets. Thai nationals must present their national ID card, foreigners a passport, and corporate users a company certificate, along with authorised signatory identification.
The Thai Government has recently announced stricter measures for SIM card registration to combat rising online fraud, following cases in which criminals have exploited SIM-swap scams to steal from victims.
Deputy government spokesman Anukool Pruksanusak said that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is implementing Liveness Detection technology nationwide, effective from August 18.
Specifically, the system will apply to all new mobile subscribers, both prepaid and post-paid, as well as existing users replacing SIM cards while keeping the same number.
The technology verifies identity in real time through facial recognition, similar to banking applications. This prevents scammers from using photos, videos or 3D masks to impersonate others, a loophole that previously enabled fraudulent SIM registration, he said.
Therefore, mobile users must register in person or through applications provided by service operators, service centres, authorised dealers and retail outlets. Thai nationals must present their national ID card, foreigners a passport, and corporate users a company certificate, along with authorised signatory identification. Operators are required to protect personal data in line with NBTC regulations and the Personal Data Protection Act.
These measures will help reduce risks linked to phone numbers and create a safer digital society, he said./.