Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Cambodia welcomes regional SIM proposal

Cambodia welcomes regional SIM proposal

SIM cards sit on the counter of a shop in central Phnom Penh in October.
SIM cards sit on the counter of a shop in central Phnom Penh in October. Pha Lina

Cambodia welcomes regional SIM proposal

The government is considering a proposal for telecommunications regulators in Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar to jointly enforce mobile phone SIM card registration in an effort to prevent cross-border fraud and drug trafficking, among other illegal activities.

The Thai-led initiative was initially proposed at last year’s annual meeting of ASEAN telecom regulators and Cambodia has welcomed the prospect of regional cooperation, Im Vutha, director of the regulation and dispute unit at the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC), said yesterday.

“It’s a good plan to share data [between countries] and to crack down on crime . . . but we need to discuss more concrete plans on executing this,” he said.

Although Cambodia initiated its own national clampdown on unregistered SIM cards last September, Vutha said mobile operators have not responded to a government directive to confirm the identities of SIM card owners.

“I don’t have any updates on unregistered SIM cards from the operators,” he said, adding that enforcement of the directive is the responsibility of the Ministry of Interior.

Nine months on, many shops in Cambodia continue to sell SIM cards without requiring identification documents from customers.

Prak Sophea, a SIM card retailer at TTN phone shop in Phnom Penh, said some mobile phone companies have left the door open for consumers to purchase SIM cards without registering them.

“A SIM card company told me to ask for IDs from customers, but also to give them the option of registering themselves,” she said, adding that the opt-in approach allows customers to avoid registration.

Som Sineth, a student from Kampong Speu province, claims she purchased a Smart SIM card more than a year ago without providing any identity documents, yet the operator continues to provide service despite the number remaining unregistered.

“I’ve never received any calls from the company asking me for registration ID,” she said. “I’ve also been wondering how nothing has happened to my phone service since the government said that they would crack down on unregistered SIM cards.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.