Foreign visitors to Thailand will be required to use special SIM cards in their mobile phones during their stay so they can be tracked by the authorities.
National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC)'s secretary-general Takorn Tantasith said the agency approved the requirement in principle yesterday to boost national security.
He said the NBTC would discuss the measure with mobile phone operators, the Customs Department and other state agencies.
Mobile operators can preset some technical features in SIM cards to ensure they can always locate users, who will be unable to turn off this function, he said.
Foreigner travellers who use the special SIM card will not be able to close down the function that provides their location to mobile operator networks.
The SIM card will help the state know the exact location of mobile phones when needed as they pursue criminal or terrorist cases.
"We want to launch this SIM card for foreign visitors by early next year," said Mr Takorn.
Mr Takorn insisted the NBTC's move is not a restriction of the rights of foreign visitors as they will not be traced by authorities unless they become a criminal suspect.
Mr Takorn claimed this kind of SIM card has been in use in Malaysia for the same reason.
But concerns have been raised about the effectiveness of the measure.
"They may not work in all phones. I know I had a US phone that doesn't work here. It might also be no good for phones whose owners no longer use them," a user called Packman wrote on the Bangkok Post website.
"There are going to be ways around this rule," the user said.