Internet cafe computers and the new law

Just a quick question about whether the internet cafe's are taking the new law seriously. Have any regular users noticed whether the owners are now demanding to see ID, and whether there are obvious signs of records being kept. Are Thais being treated differently compared to a farang customer? Is there an impression that this will soon become a law that will fade away?

As far as I now, from actual media reports, there are 2 issues regarding the Internet Cafes (at least in PTT):
- youngsters up to 15 years are not allowed to be in an internet cafe after 10 p.m.
- the illegal downloads of software (mainly games).

In Pattaya there are regular crackdowns in IC's on those 2 matters.

Recently there was a post about an IC who was raided, a few minutes after someone downloaded some illegal software. Usually, the IC-software will take care of this illegal downloading activities, but that takes a few minutes.
As far as my knowledge reaches, there might be some internet log on history, but even that might be deleted after a customer signs of.


BTW both laws aren't new, they're just now to be enforced.

[Patexpat]

yes fattman you are correct, in force since Aug 23 and applies to all organisations, 'no exceptions' but not private usage. Inet cafes are supposed to take copies of id or passports and log usage ...

[bigben]

So the O/P's question still stands.

Are the Internet shops actually asking for a passport and/or other types of identification before being allowed to "Log-On"

Yes, I understand they are suppose to ask.....But are they is the question.

Fatman, sorry but you did say you "saw them" asking for ID, but did they actually ask you for ID before you were allowed to use the computers or were you just checking out the Internet cafes? :cheers:

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

so when does the new business in fake IDs begin ?

Thanks for those who have replied but I would like the question I originally asked to be answered. I am not interested in what time the kids are sent home to bed, or anything to do with illegal game downoads (although it does raise the interesting question of what sort of ID kids under 15 are supposed to present). I simply want to know from you guys who live out there, and who presumably go to a range of internet shops, what level of interest the owners are showing in the new law about checking ID and storing data about sites visited.
With thanks.

I personally would not show or hand ID to an ID cafe, similarly, I was asked for my passport when I hired a bike. Like other ID stuff, I try and make sure that I dot my I's and cross my T's. This is one of the reasons for ID theft.

Generally, the hotel you stay at or the apartment would have a computer, so use theirs, and don't hire a bike if they want your passport. Although "bikes" are not the issue here I know. It just gets my back up at every opportunity "they" try to obtain ID from "us".

I phoned a friend. he uses 3 pattaya net cafes and to date has not been asked for I.D in any.

I chatted with my b/f yesterday. He told me that he lost his ID and needed the money to go back to Chiang Mai and get it replaced. Now, HOW could he have been on a PC at an internet cafe without that ID if they were checking IDs?

[bing]

I usualy try to erase all traces of my use when I log out of computer at an internet cafe, but if the workers want to, I do believe they can access where people have been on the internet. I do hope I'm wrong.

[ceejay]

I usualy try to erase all traces of my use when I log out of computer at an internet cafe, but if the workers want to, I do believe they can access where people have been on the internet. I do hope I'm wrong.

You can clear the browser cache, temp files etc from a computer when you stop using it - but those files are quite easily recovered with readily available software, so the guys in the internet cafe probably could get at it if they wanted to.

I have suggested it here before - if you use a U3 drive:

www.u3.com (http://www.u3.com)

all these cache files will be on your USB stick, and you will take them away with you.

The ISP's servers will keep a record of every web page you visit indefinitely, so anyone who can get access to these records (the police can) can check on what you have been doing if they knew who was on an IP address at any given time.

But - if you buy Anonymizer for a U3 stick, and use the encrypted connection to their servers, all anyone will ever know is that you have been connected to Anonymizers servers.

http://software.u3.com/Product_Details. ... Lang=en-US (http://software.u3.com/Product_Details.aspx?ProductId=164&Selection=8&Lang=en-US)

Trouble is, it only works with XP at the moment.

The ISP's servers will keep a record of every web page you visit indefinitely, so anyone who can get access to these records (the police can) can check on what you have been doing if they knew who was on an IP address at any given time.


I don't think I've ever visited a website that might be of interest to the police. What is it you're looking at, exactly?

Big problem with U3 drives is they pick up PC viruses rather easily and if you then do some syncing at home, well ... . They've gotten around my U3 vscanner already!

[Patexpat]

[quote=Generally, the hotel you stay at or the apartment would have a computer, so use theirs, [/quote]

The law applies to ALL organisations including hotels, hospitals, businesses and voluntary bodies .... so using a computer provided by the hotel is exactly the same as using a inet cafe ....

[bing]

If anyone is interested in a nice U3 flash drive. I might suggest for Americans www.tigerdirect.com (http://www.tigerdirect.com), they offer a Cruzer Contour 4 GB, for $31.00. They also offer an 8 GB drive for a bit more. I am no guru on puter things but perhaps Window Washer by Webroot might serve the same purpose as the item suggested above. Yes, Window Washer is Vista compatible. I'll load up my Curzer and hope for the best. I have had the window washer for some time and can't remeber how much it cost. Did not break the bank as I recall.

[Wesley]

not sure why they have laws about games , porn I could understand , but it is LOS

Wes

[catawampuscat]

Chao Na and others might consider that some farang do their banking on the internet and wouldn't want passwords, code or identifying numbers like social security or birthdays to be in the hands of those with fraudulent intentions.
There are farangs who look at porno in internet shops but since the sites are unblocked,
the government agency in charge must not have a problem with the content.

It is the personal financial information that needs to be guarded from the bad guys.
Why, recently I even noticed my regular much too close to the ATM and watching me.
I turned to him before entering my pin number and put my hand over my own eyes and he got
the message.
Some extremely foolish farangs think it is rude to do such things and shows a mistrust towards the boys and actually have them watch.
You know what they say about fools and their money.
Western logic is the most fucked up in the world, when dealing with third world realities.
possible scenario:
"Maybe if I say something to this pickpocket on the baht bus, it will be considered rude", so I
will just squirm around and hope for the best instead of blasting the fucking pickpocket with
the vilest words in my vocabulary and at the loudest possible volume.
Being nice is being stupid when your money is involved.

Slightly off topic for sure but thinking of trusting farangs and their logic sets me off sometimes. :cat:

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

I personally would not show or hand ID to an ID cafe, similarly, I was asked for my passport when I hired a bike. Like other ID stuff, I try and make sure that I dot my I's and cross my T's. This is one of the reasons for ID theft.

Generally, the hotel you stay at or the apartment would have a computer, so use theirs, and don't hire a bike if they want your passport. Although "bikes" are not the issue here I know. It just gets my back up at every opportunity "they" try to obtain ID from "us".

I can almost guarantee that if you use your credit card in Thailand you will be the victim of identity theft.
Fortunately the card company covers the theft but there are new scams cropping up every single day.

the latest : I was contacted by Visa about a $1.75 charge ! ( the one 6 months before was a $3700 charge-way over the limit) I thought this odd..why ask about a $1.75 ?..but that's the new scam..the scammers put through a load of small charges to see if the card is valid and then go for the lot !!

Now I buy Visa cards ( you can get these in some post offices in some countries) in which you place a certain amount..or use an Ikobo visa card...

same same any ID..I'd never do internet banking in an internet shop and I've even had all my ID & credit cards photocopied by British customs..and I wouldn't trust them for a minute either..had them all immediately changed afterwards.

ps; without a doubt these new laws are being enforced after pressure from the US and other western countries..only a matter of time before it becomes world-wide.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I don't use internet cafes but when I did I got in the habit of clearing the internet history when I was finished. I guess they have them all set for 90 days now but I bet no one rewrote the browser code to prevent you clearing the history.

Quite often I remember going into a internet cafe and being able to log onto Sawatdee as someone that last used that site and used the auto log on feature. Same with e mail and once I was auto logged on to someones back account. Most banks have now plugged that hole with a registry key.

There's also a windows remember passwords function. There should be a prompt that asks you if you want windows to remember the password.

After clearing all that I could I would then log on to the bank site again and check that my user name was not coming up. If it did I then messed around in cookies and whatever else I could fine and tried again.

In all the times that I found someone else logged on to Sawatdee, I sent them a PM telling them what happen and logged them out. I never got a response.

Western logic is the most fucked up in the world, when dealing with third world realitiesWhich other forms of logic are less so? I look forward to this list

Chao Na and others might consider that some farang do their banking on the internet and wouldn't want passwords, code or identifying numbers like social security or birthdays to be in the hands of those with fraudulent intentions.


What does this have to do with having to present ID to use a work station at an internet cafe?

Why, recently I even noticed my regular much too close to the ATM and watching me. I turned to him before entering my pin number and put my hand over my own eyes and he got the message. Some extremely foolish farangs think it is rude to do such things and shows a mistrust towards the boys ....

It was rude, did show mistrust, and should no have been necessary.



.... and actually have them watch.

Which is equally unnecessary and indeed foolish.

Being nice is being stupid when your money is involved.

Only if there is no other option - 99% of the time there is, and "being nice" is no more stupid, or unnecessary, than being rude.

Which other forms of logic are less so? I look forward to this list

Just for you homi


1 Syllogistic logic
2 Predicate logic
3 Modal logic
4 Deduction and reasoning
5 Mathematical logic
6 Philosophical logic
7 Logic and computation
8 Argumentation theory

[Brad the Impala]

[quote="Lunchtime O'Booze"]

I can almost guarantee that if you use your credit card in Thailand you will be the victim of identity theft.
[quote]

Oh please! I have been using credit cards in Thailand for thirty plus years and NEVER had a fraudulent withdrawal or been the victim of identity theft. You drama queens are too much!

I can almost guarantee that if you use your credit card in Thailand you will be the victim of identity theft.
[quote]

Oh please! I have been using credit cards in Thailand for thirty plus years and NEVER had a fraudulent withdrawal or been the victim of identity theft. You drama queens are too much![/quote:2p3rrbse]

For once Brad I am in agrrement with you.

I have lived in Bangkok since 1972 and have both personal and business credit cards and ATM cards which are used to run my life and combined probably chalk up 300-400 transactions a month. In all of those years and in all of those transactions I have never been a victim of either card fraud or identity theft.

It is also inconceivable and totally spurious that the theft of a credit card alone can lead to identity theft. It takes more than the basic details embedded on a credit card to enable anyone to steal your identity unless they also have much more information than that encoded into a card either on the magnetic strip or the chip. Of course if anyone is stupid enough to keep their card/s along with other personal documentation, and many times you read of people losing their bags/wallets containg cards and passports, then of course that is inviting trouble.

However in London, where I am on business at the moment, back in April my AMEX card was skimmed and the details used the next day in Sydney, Australia to purchase a diamond ring for $A8000.

Also in response to Bing who assumed that clearing the History and the browser cache on a computer deletes his browsing details that another poster suggested can only be recovered with special software, well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you can recover all of the deleted details -until they have been overwritten with a file deletion program or overwritten by the sector of the hard drive being filled with data and then re-used for newer data- with just 6 keystrokes ( with the exception of the new IE8 browser).

1 Syllogistic logic
etcMost amusing, but in the context catawampuscat was talking about the logic of various ethnicities. As we might expect, he has no follow-through. The Cat's style of posting is to make a more or less ridiculous assertion that, when challenged he ignores, often attempting to end the discussion by saying "enough on this topic, let's move on." I keep him off my {Ignore} list as his constant put-downs of life in Pattaya add a little flavour to discussions. However his complete inability to support any of his arguments merely confirms another long-held belief of mine - there's something in the Pattaya water that rots the brain

[Brad the Impala]

[quote="Lunchtime O'Booze":tpehfffq]

I can almost guarantee that if you use your credit card in Thailand you will be the victim of identity theft.
[quote]

Oh please! I have been using credit cards in Thailand for thirty plus years and NEVER had a fraudulent withdrawal or been the victim of identity theft. You drama queens are too much!

For once Brad I am in agrrement with you.
[/quote:tpehfffq][/quote:tpehfffq]


There is a rare common factor between you, I and Chao Na, who has also not had this problem despite many years of credit card usage in Thailand. All three of us are, at most, only rarely visitors to Pattaya. Whereas all those reporting a problem in Thailand are reporting from Pattaya.

Something about swimming with sharks, although can they still survive in the polluted sea off Jomtien?

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

I can almost guarantee that if you use your credit card in Thailand you will be the victim of identity theft.
[quote]

Oh please! I have been using credit cards in Thailand for thirty plus years and NEVER had a fraudulent withdrawal or been the victim of identity theft. You drama queens are too much![/quote:2jmqwt6w]

well yes indeed..it's you thats probably using my credit cards !!

of course we drama queens are too much !!..that's why everyone adores us !

I think Oogle's and Pon's posts show that the evidence is rather SCANT that this is going on. Anyway, I don't know why everyone is so worried. I don't think it's us they're after.