According to Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Economy and Society, Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj, the Thai government has initiated measures to clean up illegal "nominee accounts."
From February 1 to 28, 2025, approximately 2.4 million bank accounts will be at risk. Banks will send notifications to these accounts through mobile banking apps, requiring account holders to complete information verification and updates by April 30 of this year. Accounts that fail to comply with the requirements will be frozen.
This cleanup operation will only notify through mobile banking apps and not via SMS, so users who do not receive notifications do not need to take any action. Dr. Pichet emphasized that the verification and update efforts are mainly aimed at cases where the information of the bank account owner does not match the mobile phone number owner.
According to a survey conducted at the end of November 2024, Thai telecom operators, the Anti-Money Laundering Office, the Bank of Thailand, and major banks categorized 120 million phone numbers. Specifically, about 63% of the mobile numbers matched the names registered with the banks, 25.68% had mismatched information, and the remaining 11.29% of the numbers could not find corresponding SIM card owner names.
For these mismatched mobile numbers, banks require account holders to verify and update information with telecom operators. The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society also offers exemption applications for certain users, including:
Mobile numbers registered under government agencies or employees, organizations.
Users who are legally or documentarily restricted from changing their mobile numbers can submit proof documents to apply for an exemption.
Mobile number owners whose names are family members registered with mobile banking (such as parents, children, siblings, etc.) can submit relevant family relationship proof documents for exemption.
Legal entities or mobile numbers registered under a legal entity's name and used by employees can apply for use through company proof documents.
Groups needing legal protection (such as disabled individuals) can carry relevant legal documents to apply for an exemption.
This action aims to combat illegal "nominee accounts" and regulate Thailand's mobile banking system.
