Immigration Computers Getting Smarter

[ytivarg]

I am a dual national (US/Japan) and when traveling would use both, depending on the situation. On my last trip to thailand I used my japanese passport, which has a slightly different name than the US one due to translation issues and having no middle name in japan. Entry on the japanese passport went fine. Upon leaving the country though, they started asking questions and wanted to know if the other records in their computer system from the US passport were from me. I said yes, and then the officer went back to her computer and started typing some stuff. I was then free to leave. Well, immigration has definately improved their computer systems, and dual nationals might not have the advantages that they used too anymore.

[Sunny Valentine]

Well, if you enter on Passport one and then exit on another passport, the Alarm bells would surely ring, as your Passport 2 has no corresponding entry stamp. You might have used the exit slip (TM ??) giving away the data of Passport one then. Or if not, I am sure they must have asked you, as they have to be suspicious of you entering illegally.

Question still remains: Will they find out that you have a second Passport in case you use Passport 1 and 2 alternatively, on different trips? In PP1, out PP1, in PP2, out PP2?

In your case it is quite likely that they have made a note that the two Passports belong to the same individual, though.

[madjbs]

^ I think you misread, he used his Japanese passport for entry and exit but they linked it to his previous visits when he only used a U.S passport.

[Sunny Valentine]

^ I think you misread, he used his Japanese passport for entry and exit but they linked it to his previous visits when he only used a U.S passport.

Thanks, you're correct, I misread that.

[grtaylor]

A friend of mine who has been working here in BKK for the last 5 years or so, and who is moving to work in Sri Lanka from August, went to the Police Department to get a certificate showing no criminal record.

Along with it came a computer print-out showing the dates of every entry to and exit from Thailand, not just during his time working here, but from the first time he ever came on holiday about 25 years ago. So, yes, their computer system does hold more accurate records than one would imagine!

[Maestro]

That’s quite something! Was he given that printout with all his entres into Thailand? What information does it show for each entry, eg also arrival card number,departure date and type of visa?

--

Maestro

[kash]

I am a dual national (US/Japan) and when traveling would use both, depending on the situation. On my last trip to thailand I used my japanese passport, which has a slightly different name than the US one due to translation issues and having no middle name in japan. Entry on the japanese passport went fine. Upon leaving the country though, they started asking questions and wanted to know if the other records in their computer system from the US passport were from me. I said yes, and then the officer went back to her computer and started typing some stuff. I was then free to leave. Well, immigration has definately improved their computer systems, and dual nationals might not have the advantages that they used too anymore.

well for some reason I don't believe this is the case, they have no chance in h.... to find out this information unless you gave them some vitals. How many Joe Johnson do you think exist if you look at all nationalities, it is simply a task not possible for thai immigration to grasp. in regards of other posts saying there is a lot of accurate information there, well yes - where do you think the enter/entry slips goes? someone is manually feeding them, but no way that they've got 25 years old data in their system, unless the person is on a specific watch list for some reason.

[samran]

I am a dual national (US/Japan) and when traveling would use both, depending on the situation. On my last trip to thailand I used my japanese passport, which has a slightly different name than the US one due to translation issues and having no middle name in japan. Entry on the japanese passport went fine. Upon leaving the country though, they started asking questions and wanted to know if the other records in their computer system from the US passport were from me. I said yes, and then the officer went back to her computer and started typing some stuff. I was then free to leave. Well, immigration has definately improved their computer systems, and dual nationals might not have the advantages that they used too anymore.

well for some reason I don't believe this is the case, they have no chance in h.... to find out this information unless you gave them some vitals. How many Joe Johnson do you think exist if you look at all nationalities, it is simply a task not possible for thai immigration to grasp. in regards of other posts saying there is a lot of accurate information there, well yes - where do you think the enter/entry slips goes? someone is manually feeding them, but no way that they've got 25 years old data in their system, unless the person is on a specific watch list for some reason.

having worked for the Thai government, I think you'll find that they have a team of plods sitting in the background slowly but surely imputting all the data.

As a Thai national, the are very good at maintaining a central database of all Thai nationals information. Comes in handy when all you need to apply for a Passport, DL, police record is to flash your ID card......so I wouldn't a proper immigration database is beyond their 'grasp'. (I mean, bloody natives, how dare they?)

As someone who has done data matching of a database of millions of people with more complex records than immigration records, it is no great effort to write a few smart scripts to sort out positive from negative matches, and then go through the rest some what mannually.

[ytivarg]

I think that there are two possibilities here:

1. I recall reading that airlines electronically give the passenger list for a flight to immigration before the flight even lands at suwanaphum. Since I was coming from the states I had to check into the flight with my US passport, but ended up entering the country with my japanese passport. They could have caught this discrepancy.

2. Immigration is running a script on their database looking for dual nationals. For me both passports have the same last name, date of birth, place of birth, and sex. This script would have to use these variables.

[endure]

There's a national database of Thai people available on the 'net. The BF has showed it to me before. It shows all sorts of stuff including address, military conscription status etc.

[grtaylor]

That’s quite something! Was he given that printout with all his entres into Thailand? What information does it show for each entry, eg also arrival card number,departure date and type of visa?

--

Maestro

Not sure - but I'll ask.