Thailand to strengthen regulations on multiple SIM cards owners

The National and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand has announced a new measure to prevent the misuse of SIM cards for illegal activities, particularly online scams.

Key Takeaways

The National and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand will require mobile phone users with more than five SIM cards to identify themselves to prevent the misuse of additional cards for illegal activities.
Currently, there are millions of SIM cards owned by a small number of users, and this new measure aims to address the rise in online fraud and scams.
The new edict will impose punitive measures on violators, including suspension of phone and internet services, and potentially returning all SIM cards to the NBTC if identification requirements are not met

Under the new rule, mobile phone users who possess more than five SIM cards must identify themselves to their service providers or face suspension of phone and internet services.

According to recent data, there are currently 64.8 million mobile phone users in the area, utilizing a total of 94.6 million SIM cards. It has been announced that a new edict is set to be implemented in the near future, pending approval by the NBTC board, with the expected timeline being early next year.