Three illegal wireless Internet stations found along Lao border in Nong Khai

Three illegal stations suspected of beaming wireless broadband Internet signals into the Lao border were discovered in Nong Khai province on Tuesday morning.

The discovery of these suspected unlicensed wireless Internet stations was made by a team of officials from the Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and officers from the Nong Khai police head office and Technology Crime Suppression Subdivision 3. The team was led by Trairat Wiriyasirikul, caretaker secretary-general of the NBTC Office.

The first suspected station was found on the rooftop of a hotel in Mueang district, approximately 1.24 kilometres from the Lao border.

Trairat said his team found two dishes mounted on the rooftop in such a way that they could beam wireless Internet signals to areas on the Lao border. Broadband Internet cables were connected to the two dishes, but the cables appeared to have been recently severed.

The team also found a mobile phone cell site mounted on the hotel’s rooftop.

Trairat said the hotel management claimed they did not know who owned the two wireless Internet dishes on the rooftop.

He added that the NBTC Office would investigate to identify the owner of the broadband account that had provided the cables linked to the two dishes before they were cut off.

At the second location, Trairat said a similar wireless Internet station setup was found, but it was about 7 kilometres from the border. It is possible the signal was being beamed to the border area on the Thai side.

Another suspected wireless Internet station was found at a third location, just 900 metres from the Lao border, he added.

Trairat said the owners or those who set up the three stations would be charged with possessing telecommunication equipment or wireless Internet dishes without permission.