Contact tracing app "Thai Chana" now in English - Chinese to follow soon

[webfact]

Contact tracing app "Thai Chana" now in English - Chinese to follow soon

 

Picture: Sanook

 

A representative of Thailand's digital economy and society department revealed yesterday that the Thai Chana tracing app is now in English.

 

Other languages will follow shortly namely Burmese, Laotian, Bahasa Malaysia, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

 

The app has also been tightened up to guard against fraud after bogus apps appeared recently.

 

Dr Pholawat Withoonkolachit said it was fast and convenient.

 

Using the app to register with QR codes at shops and malls has already become a common feature throughout Thailand in the latest phase of release from lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Thai Chana can be translated as "Thailand (will) win". 

 

Source: Sanook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-05-29

 

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[YetAnother]

3 minutes ago, webfact said:

Using the app to register with QR codes at shops and malls has already become a common feature throughout Thailand

hope it works for them and they feel some, mostly false, sense of security ; i wont play

[Just1Voice]

Did they use Google Translate? 

[mtls2005]

6 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

hope it works for them and they feel some, mostly false, sense of security ; i wont play

 

The only default permission is for the camera.

 

But you do give your phone number to register (receiving the OTP via SMS). And you location is known when you scan the QR code at whatever location you enter.

 

I had to use QRs to enter: Terminal 21, my Bangkok Bank branch and Fodland yesterday.

 

Version 1.0.0 does not have an English option, as near I can determine. Suspect this will be coming in an update?

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by mtls2005

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

hope it works for them and they feel some, mostly false, sense of security ; i wont play

Same here. Local style shops and restaurants and going to be getting an awful lot of my money until this tracking nonsense disappears. 

 

I don't know why they don't just tattoo us all with barcodes and be done with it. Or maybe resurrect the plan to electronically tag tourists and extend it to the whole population? All in the name of national security, obviously.

[brommers]

Is he referring to the website, because there is no app under the name of thai chana in Google Play. And if it is the website I have a serious objection to the US flag being used to denote English. Americans do not speak English.

[DirtyHarry55]

Heard a lot of people are getting spam after using this so I will give it a miss for the mo.
Also some are using fake QR codes directing people to malicious sites.

[Thaiwrath]

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai Chana can be translated as "Thailand (will) win". 

Not with these military clowns at the helm.

[dave s]

41 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

But you do give your phone number to register (receiving the OTP via SMS). And you location is known when you scan the QR code at whatever location you enter.

 

I had to use QRs to enter: Terminal 21, my Bangkok Bank branch and Fodland yesterday.

The app is worthless if you do not have a smart phone. The paper sign up sheet is useless if you do not have a phone at all, and therefore do not have a phone number. What about tourists, if they ever are allowed to return, who don't have a Thai SIM plus a data plan, don't want one for just a two week or less trip, don't want to pay expensive roaming from the home country, don't have a fixed local address where the police can come and put them in quarantine by looking up the phone number that does not exist? Don't spend any money in Thailand: we'll make sure you don't, by not letting you into any store!!!.  The assumption that all people are identical in a trivially simple way, and conform to arbitrary requirements, not for a good reason but because the designer doesn't want to consider all use cases nor think too hard about solving the problem, leads to unworkable situations that serve only the lowest common denominator of users. All too common around this place. A technical "solution" that doesn't consider reality, is antisocial, leaves lots of people out, and is even impossible for some, is stupid, useless ..... and typically Thai.

Edited May 29, 2020 by dave s

[mtls2005]

18 minutes ago, dave s said:

The app is worthless if you do not have a smart phone.

And internet access of course.

 

19 minutes ago, dave s said:

The paper sign up sheet is useless if you do not have a phone at all, and therefore do not have a phone number.

Did you provide a phone number to Immigration? Maybe use that?

 

 

20 minutes ago, dave s said:

What about tourists

I suspect one requirement for tourists, at least early on, will be to have a mobile, buy a local SIM. Then there's always to manual method.

 

22 minutes ago, dave s said:

A technical "solution" that doesn't consider reality, is antisocial, leaves lots of people out, and is even impossible for some, is stupid, useless ..... and typically Thai.

Many, many, many, many, many countries are utilizing both limited and comprehensive contact tracing.

 

[SooKee]

1 hour ago, brommers said:

Is he referring to the website, because there is no app under the name of thai chana in Google Play. And if it is the website I have a serious objection to the US flag being used to denote English. Americans do not speak English.

it's Thaichana.  Thai Chana won't bring it up.

[JCP108]

So, the app was launched initially around May 17, right? And, it's central purpose is to trace contacts someone has had if they test positive so that those people who were in the same place as that person can be notified, right? So, around two weeks into this, have there been any reports of the app working like that? Has anyone tested positive who used the app and then people notified? 

[brommers]

SooKee, that brings up a Krungthai Bank app that is not in any language other than Thai and seems to be far from what is an official government app version of the original website that we were all assured would have absolute privacy but in fact has led to phishing. So there is nothing that I regard as an official app called Thaichana, Thai Chana or "Thaichana" or any other permutations of that spelling.

[MikeN]

already answered !

Edited May 29, 2020 by MikeN

[Rancid]

Of course this in no way would be a step towards big brother in China's Orwellian Social Credit Score, where obedient muppets are allowed on trains & planes, in restaurants, to rent a home etc, whereas those critical in any way of the CCP can do nothing and go nowhere. A totalitarian dream come true.

[cheapcanuck]

Where can you get this app? It's not on Play Store.

[kekalot]

14 minutes ago, cheapcanuck said:

Where can you get this app? It's not on Play Store.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ktb.thaichana.prod&hl=en

 

[Burma Bill]

I presume all this QR nonsense will be abolished once the virus scare disappears???

[ukrules]

20 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

I presume all this QR nonsense will be abolished once the virus scare disappears???

Yes, I'm sure it will but it's going to be a long time, especially if they start letting the Chinese in.

 

According to the governments own figures Thailand hasn't had a widespread large scale epidemic yet so there will be almost ZERO immunity.

 

It's a bomb waiting to go off, that's if you believe the governments numbers, which I don't. Only a widespread and fully transparent serological survey using the very new and very accurate antibody tests will convince me otherwise.

 

It appears that in a pandemic there is a price to pay and Thailand hasn't paid it, not yet anyway.

[SooKee]

3 hours ago, brommers said:

SooKee, that brings up a Krungthai Bank app that is not in any language other than Thai and seems to be far from what is an official government app version of the original website that we were all assured would have absolute privacy but in fact has led to phishing. So there is nothing that I regard as an official app called Thaichana, Thai Chana or "Thaichana" or any other permutations of that spelling.

Thaichana IS the correct app.  It was developed by the IT department of KTB which is a Government Bank.  If you look at numerous Thai sites they show graphics of the app in the play store and it iS the KTB app.  They may well have an updated version in English but it hasn't hit the play store yet.

[digger70]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Contact tracing app "Thai Chana" now in English - Chinese to follow soon

Nah I'll pass.

[Henricus]

9 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Did you provide a phone number to Immigration? Maybe use that?

why you want to hide from immigration they have your address anyway 

[yourauntbob]

The point of this is to isolate people who may be infected right?  Has anyone thought this through?

 

im curious what people are going to do/think when the actually try to enforce the repercussions.  What exactly will people do when a government official shows up at their home and tells them "come with us., we need to separate you from your family because you may have the virus."  What if the person doesnt have the virus and you put them in a place with a bunch of people who DO have it?  How many of you cheering this on will willingly get in a government detention center and be confident the government (same ones who handle your visa applications) will take better care of you then your own family?  

 

I can already hear the response of "they are just going to check to see if you have symptoms."  What if you happen to have an unrelated cold? And if that is all they are doing what is the point?  If you have symptoms of covid you should see a doctor anyway.

 

This is complete insanity.

[Jingthing]

19 minutes ago, yourauntbob said:

The point of this is to isolate people who may be infected right?  Has anyone thought this through?

 

im curious what people are going to do/think when the actually try to enforce the repercussions.  What exactly will people do when a government official shows up at their home and tells them "come with us., we need to separate you from your family because you may have the virus."  What if the person doesnt have the virus and you put them in a place with a bunch of people who DO have it?  How many of you cheering this on will willingly get in a government detention center and be confident the government (same ones who handle your visa applications) will take better care of you then your own family?  

 

I can already hear the response of "they are just going to check to see if you have symptoms."  What if you happen to have an unrelated cold? And if that is all they are doing what is the point?  If you have symptoms of covid you should see a doctor anyway.

 

This is complete insanity.

Total paranoia. 

They'll ask people to get tested and possibly self isolate. 

You don't need symptoms to have it. 

[welovesundaysatspace]

So far I’ve successfully ignored it in the 7eleven in my office building. Both the QR code and the big book. 
 

But it came across my mind to print out a QR code leading to Pornhub and put that there in a moment when the intern at the door isn’t watching. 

[tribalfusion001]

Chinese soon to follow as the hordes of tour groups from the PRC are use to using QR codes already.

[tribalfusion001]

1 hour ago, yourauntbob said:

The point of this is to isolate people who may be infected right?  Has anyone thought this through?

 

im curious what people are going to do/think when the actually try to enforce the repercussions.  What exactly will people do when a government official shows up at their home and tells them "come with us., we need to separate you from your family because you may have the virus."  What if the person doesnt have the virus and you put them in a place with a bunch of people who DO have it?  How many of you cheering this on will willingly get in a government detention center and be confident the government (same ones who handle your visa applications) will take better care of you then your own family?  

 

I can already hear the response of "they are just going to check to see if you have symptoms."  What if you happen to have an unrelated cold? And if that is all they are doing what is the point?  If you have symptoms of covid you should see a doctor anyway.

 

This is complete insanity.

Nice profile pic????

[Traubert]

10 hours ago, JCP108 said:

So, the app was launched initially around May 17, right? And, it's central purpose is to trace contacts someone has had if they test positive so that those people who were in the same place as that person can be notified, right? So, around two weeks into this, have there been any reports of the app working like that? Has anyone tested positive who used the app and then people notified? 

Give the Comms Ministry a ring and ask. The same question on here every day isnt getting a bite

[Traubert]

8 hours ago, Rancid said:

Of course this in no way would be a step towards big brother in China's Orwellian Social Credit Score, where obedient muppets are allowed on trains & planes, in restaurants, to rent a home etc, whereas those critical in any way of the CCP can do nothing and go nowhere. A totalitarian dream come true.

Orwell was a fantasist who wrote fiction.

 

So are you judging by the rubbish above.

[Traubert]

11 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Chinese soon to follow as the hordes of tour groups from the PRC are use to using QR codes already.

Plus all the FITs.

 

I have QR code of my own, Jealous?