Must Read Welcome to Thailand - and welcome to immigration queues!

[ezzra]

Not in the too far ahead future, i'm envisioning stern looking soldiers with lock and loaded machine guns, attack dogs at their sides and rows of barbwires leading all the way to immigration's counters welcoming the perplexed and bewildered tourists arrivals who come to Thailand to have a good time.. al-la europe 1935-1945...

Edited June 28, 2019 by ezzra

[bluesofa]

Just now, ezzra said:

In the future, i'm envisioning stern looking soldiers with machine guns, attack dogs at their sides and rows of barbwires leading all the way to immigration's counters welcoming the perplexed and bewildered tourists who come to Thailand to have a good time.. al-la europe 1935-1945...

Welcome to Butlitz holiday camp. You will enjoy yourself, or be fined 50,000 Baht.

[madmitch]

One problem is that one Immigration officer does everything: checks the passport and visa, takes the fingerprints and photos, stamps the passport.

 

I have been to other countries (I think Japan was one) where the biometric information is taken separately before you see the officer, making the process much quicker. Of course it involves more staff but those taking the fingerprints and photos could easily be trainees or even non-immigration personnel.

 

I'm off to Suvarnabhumi in less than an hour so let's hope it doesn't take too long to exit though Immigration.

[bangkokfrog]

9 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I think I;m going to try and sell Thai immigration the idea of i.d. recognition at passport control by stool sample.

Could lead to a lot of log jams!

[Roy Baht]

16 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

I follow your concern, but look at the reality of it:

The logistics needed to scan millions of fingerprints against one sample would take forever to setup, maintain and fund.

So more than likely another pipe dream - same as CCTV evidence: A large proportion of the time a lot of these cameras are faulty or the images not saved or archived - we know that from numerous reports already.

I agree. But I guess another concern is that while a database full of foreigners' fingerprints would be a valuable resource for police to use to catch criminals, it would also be a quite useful source of evidence to plant at crime scenes. Too paranoid?

[bluesofa]

5 minutes ago, Roy Baht said:

I agree. But I guess another concern is that while a database full of foreigners' fingerprints would be a valuable resource for police to use to catch criminals, it would also be a quite useful source of evidence to plant at crime scenes. Too paranoid?

I share your concern about paranoia, given the reputation of the RTP.

A hi-tech money-making scheme, which I'm sure has gone through a few minds already.

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by bluesofa
grammar

[saigonsunset]

Question is why do they need scans of four fingers right hand followed by four left hand followed by each the thumps where one thump scan should be plenty for indentification? Maybe they are afraid one might cut off that finger to commit heinous crimes undetected while in Thailand?

[overherebc]

19 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

C'mon, surely you can see the comical possibilities of that:

 

Dear Deirdre, I'm concerned about doing my 90 day report and filing a TM30.

On my last visit I was informed I had done my 90 day report late. My name however is not Who Flundung and I'm not Chinese but from Nigeria with more than 30 million dollars in my bank account.

Also on my TM30 confirmation I'm listed as a German Shepherd from the Isle of Dogs.

Surely some mistake?

You left out admitting you are a Glasgow Celtic fan.

[overherebc]

1 minute ago, saigonsunset said:

Question is why do they need scans of four fingers right hand followed by four left hand followed by each the thumps where one thump scan should be plenty for indentification? Maybe they are afraid one might cut off that finger to commit heinous crimes undetected while in Thailand?

What if you're Yakuza or postman pat?

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, RobboR said:

I agree but can you actually oppose them taking your prints?

If you say no what happens?

Umm... the conga line gets a bit longer?

[Small Joke]

1 hour ago, Eligius said:

This scanning of our fingerprints is so disgusting. For most of my life - decades and decades - it has always been only CRIMINALS who have their fingerprints taken.

Now the sheep all think it is perfectly acceptable for us all to be herded and monitored and branded. 

I will never agree with this insane Orwellian system of fake 'security' obsession and psychotic control-freakery - when the real monsters (yes, monsters) are the criminals in high places (the less than 1%) who are running the whole filthy show.

 

Spot on.

Sadly plenty wanna be authoritarian fandads on this board with Orwellian mindsets.

Their smug mantra is 'If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear'.

They won't be so smug when it's their turn to line up against the wall, or in front of the lime pits.

[Mango Bob]

Other countries Embrasses should be complaining to the government about the way they are screwing with those coming here and on visas to say here.  Give to them what they give to us.  90 day report, health insurance, TM 30 reports.   Deny the PM a visa to come to the UN in September.

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by Mango Bob

[stanleycoin]

50 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

I think I;m going to try and sell Thai immigration the idea of i.d. recognition at passport control by stool sample.

Does that mean,  we will just be able to leave our under pants at the immigration desk.

 

Ps

They can also have my middle finger, to scan any time. 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2019 by stanleycoin

[lipflipper]

Each and every time I am forced to fly into Swampy on an International light I thank God that I am a senior citizen and can use that separate line for old <deleted>...ers. With this new finger scanning now in place its only going to get much worse.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[quadperfect]

So much has changed in a few years here. None for the good. I cant think of one thing that has changed for the better.

But i wont bother with naming the bad its here every day in this section of tv

[stanleycoin]

All those people will remember waiting like that,

When it comes to booking a holiday next year.

One more own goal,  Thailand. 

So cool. 

[essox essox]

who wants/needs a long long queue after a long flight...??

[ExpatPH]

How many desks was not manned with IO? That could be interesting to know.

 

Only take a few super jumbo to land at same time, and the queues are mile long.

 

When Malaysia only ask for 1 thumb, and done in 20 seconds, Thailand need all 10 fingers, system dont work, and 3+ minute per person ...

 

Imagine to be in that line with your small  children.

 

After all, Thailand promote itself as a family destination.

 

[ICELANDMAN]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

One problem is that one Immigration officer does everything: checks the passport and visa, takes the fingerprints and photos, stamps the passport.

 

I have been to other countries (I think Japan was one) where the biometric information is taken separately before you see the officer, making the process much quicker. Of course it involves more staff but those taking the fingerprints and photos could easily be trainees or even non-immigration personnel.

 

I'm off to Suvarnabhumi in less than an hour so let's hope it doesn't take too long to exit though Immigration.

Japan not have problems same Thailand, How to show that tourists are on the rise if there is no immigration queue ?

 This is because 50% of immigration cages are closed.

[Chazar]

1 hour ago, stanleycoin said:

Does that mean,  we will just be able to leave our under pants at the immigration desk.

 

Ps

They can also have my middle finger, to scan any time. 

 

 

They can have my  whole arm with the rubber  glove right up to the  elbow and Ill personally insert it????

[FarFlungFalang]

3 hours ago, RobboR said:

Interesting piece

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/27/companies-can-sack-workers-for-refusing-to-use-fingerprint-scanners

Read a more recent ABC article that he appealed and won the case and was reinstated.That he has control over his biometric data.I couldn't find the article to post a link.

[Isaanbiker]

If they continue as they do, there'll be very busy fast lanes to check out of Thailand. 

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, Small Joke said:

Spot on.

Sadly plenty wanna be authoritarian fandads on this board with Orwellian mindsets.

Their smug mantra is 'If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to fear'.

They won't be so smug when it's their turn to line up against the wall, or in front of the lime pits.

I hope that's a small joke.

[mike787]

You just realizing all this now?  Wait awhile, you will be blown away soon...and you thought perhaps it was all smiles at immigration....

[Wiggy]

3 hours ago, RobboR said:

Quelle surprise.

This lot couldn't organise a BJ in Bangkok

Actually that would be difficult, as there's no prostitution here. ????

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Absolutely. How else will they know who is on overstay?

Based on personal experience with 2 exits from Suvarnabhumi in June, no they don't.

 

But...

 

Based on several other members departing Suvarnabhumi at different times from me, yes they do.

 

YMMV TiT

[madmitch]

Passed through Suvarnabhumi Immigration a short time ago. 30 minutes to get out. 6 gates manned out of 16. The space where another 6 gates might have been (though probably also unmanned) taken up now with four automatic gates for Singapore and Hong Kong passport holders. Fingerprinting not too bad as it was done while the IO was doing the checks.

 

I think the extrememely low staff level was that it was lunchtime!

 

PS: the publicised change in requirements at security does not seem to have occurred. Probably a one dat trial that they couldn't be bothered to continue with. No bags for liquids, no banning of food etc.

Edited June 28, 2019 by madmitch

[NanLaew]

42 minutes ago, Isaanbiker said:

If they continue as they do, there'll be very busy fast lanes to check out of Thailand. 

There is no great flood of disenchanted foreigners queuing up to leave Thailand.

 

However, there's a colossal amount of TV members queuing up on this forum claiming that they are.

Edited June 28, 2019 by NanLaew
sp

[FarFlungFalang]

47 minutes ago, FarFlungFalang said:

Read a more recent ABC article that he appealed and won the case and was reinstated.That he has control over his biometric data.I couldn't find the article to post a link.

https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lawreport/2019-05-21/11129032

Found it!

[shady86]

Thai Immigration at their finest. Getting people queue and wait. Time has no value here.