October 11, 2005
Thailand to limit cell phones in restive south
Starting November 15, no matter if you're travelling from Bangkok or Malaysia, you must have registered your number... in order to be able to use your mobile in the three provinces," Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasathidya told reporters on Tuesday, reports Todayline.
"Otherwise your signal will be cut."
Since May only users of pre-paid mobile services have been required to register with authorities, but Thai communications authorities have expanded that programme to include all cell phones.
The plan aims to stop bomb attacks triggered by mobile phones in the three southern provinces bordering Malaysia -- Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala -- where an insurgency has raged since January 2004 and claimed more than 970 lives.
"We wanted the three southern provinces to be a special zone, and for the sake of public safety, in summary we must know all telephone numbers in the area," said Chidchai, who is also justice minister.
... Among 21.5 million pre-paid mobile phones, just eight million, or 37 percent, have registered with the authorities, according to the Information and Communication Technology Ministry."
Related articles:
-- Malaysia to stop anonymous use of mobiles
-- In Thailand, on the trail of cellphone terrorists
Related measures taken by other countries:
-- Singapore plans to regulate pre-paid phone cards to curb terrorism
-- Prepaid Phones Get a Bad Rap From Crime Use in Japan
-- Norway: Police want mobile phone cash cards stopped
-- Swisscom Blocks 130,000 Prepaid Mobile Phone Numbers
-- Switzerland forcing registration of PrePay customers
-- Prepaid phones to be outlawed in Japan
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