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

[Mel52]

I am lucky and have very faint fingerprints, so about 5 minutes to complete the scanning process.  The first time the IO was scratching his head and saying try this that etc. Eventually someone suggested covering the scanner as much as possible to stop extra light getting in, which sort of worked.  Next time only 4 minutes after covering straight away and the IO saying why are you doing that.  A class A disaster which I will have to deal with every 4 weeks until it is dropped.
 
Cheers

Well it’s not only fingerprints they scanned your retina as well so they got you in their biometrics database just like the rest of us

[hobz]

8 hours ago, Mel52 said:

 

Lots of countries share information yeah I’m sure China and Thailand probably does but that’s not how biometrics works at all. In my old job I had a very long class about biometrics back in 2006 because of the nature of my career, biometrics caused some challenges for us in my old job so I know something about biometrics but I’m no expert and I’m sure there have probably been a lot of changes and upgrades since I retired in 2014. If I were to explain exactly how biometrics works in different countries I’d be writing a book on here. Plus the class I had on biometrics was classified anyway.

 

Ok, that's pretty cool. I have no idea about biometrics specifically.

But there has to be some type of searchable or accessible database system. I bet china is paying to get access to this.

And yes, other countries do this as well. For example Sweden sells it's internet wiretapping (FRA) to the NSA etc.

 

Now technicalities aside, I think it's plausible to say that the Chinese sold this system to Thailand for a fraction of the quoted cost. The rest went into pockets of the unmentionables and china wins by having access to this data in whatever technically possible way there is.

[Mel52]

170 locations so it says. 

 

More accurately they are upgrading the technology at 170 locations, so far at least. I assure you there will be more to follow as time marches on technology advances fast these days as we all know

[Mel52]

Ok, that's pretty cool. I have no idea about biometrics specifically. But there has to be some type of searchable or accessible database system. I bet china is paying to get access to this. And yes, other countries do this as well. For example Sweden sells it's internet wiretapping (FRA) to the NSA etc.

 

Now technicalities aside, I think it's plausible to say that the Chinese sold this system to Thailand for a fraction of the quoted cost. The rest went into pockets of the unmentionables and china wins by having access to this data in whatever technically possible way there is.

 

 

 Well who knows the article says that it’s German technology but like I said who knows. And I don’t know anymore what countries are selling what to whom or anything about the accuracy of the current conspiracy theories because I’ve been retired for a while and it wasn’t like they read me on to every classified program I didn’t even know everything even when I was still working for them. Even if I did know anything about some of what you’re talking about I probably couldn’t say anyway.

 

Once you stop working for a secretive agency everything you think you know maybe different now because they change stuff all the time so I probably don’t know much about it anymore as a whole and I’m not only just talking about biometrics technology either

 

 

[lanng khao]

14 hours 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.

Excrement idea...

[Mel52]

I was with Denso in Japan and other places 15 years.
Same China too. 
The technology is way ahead. 
People should not assume Thailand is a back water on technology. 
The use of sensing images cameras to detect flu and body temperature has been around for years also.
China based credit scores on visual detection of people and their shopping habits. 
I saw a programme the other day. 
It took 6 seconds to detect and find a person in China. 
If you cross the street on a red light the system shames you publicly and sends a fine to your home..
Big Brother indeed.
 

Yes exactly it’s truly amazing what they can do today imagine what they’ll be able to do in the next 10 to 20 years

[mikosan]

15 hours 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.

 

Agree or not, if you leave Thailand and then return, it's what you can expect, so you'll have to accept it, like it or not. 

[Mel52]

I was with Denso in Japan and other places 15 years.
Same China too. 
The technology is way ahead. 
People should not assume Thailand is a back water on technology. 
The use of sensing images cameras to detect flu and body temperature has been around for years also.
China based credit scores on visual detection of people and their shopping habits. 
I saw a programme the other day. 
It took 6 seconds to detect and find a person in China. 
If you cross the street on a red light the system shames you publicly and sends a fine to your home..
Big Brother indeed.
 

And you’re correct never underestimate Thailand’s technological advances and lots of other countries periodically upgrade these same biometrics screening systems. It’s nothing new at all. People are complaining about the two over crowded airports in Bangkok but I’ve seen much more crowded airports around the world then Suvarnabhumi including in the United States particularly Dulles International Airport on the Virginia side of Washington DC. I spent at least 3 hours in line at Dulles a few times when traveling to DC. So Thailand is not the only crowded airport in the world I think some people have forgotten what it’s like to travel abroad all the time.

[Traubert]

43 minutes ago, hobz said:

 I bet china is paying to get access to this.

 

Now technicalities aside, I think it's plausible to say that the Chinese sold this system to Thailand for a fraction of the quoted cost.

It's biometrical data on people who pass through Thai immigration.

 

If those people are Chinese, I can assure you that the Chinese already have that data.

 

Of what possible use would the rest be to China?  The off-chance that they might, at some time, visit China?

 

As a non-sequitur I don't think I've ever seen a better one, and rest assured, there's been an unbeatable amount of <deleted> spouted on this thread already.

[djayz]

4 hours ago, Mel52 said:

I swear every time I have to take off my shoes at the airport I think of Richard Reed in prison and I just hope that something really bad is happening to him in the prison shower at the moment I’m taking my shoes off at airport security.

... and you say I have a "tone"...

[Mel52]

... and you say I have a "tone"...

 

Oh come on you were admittedly ranting I was just half joking about the shower thing with Richard Reed the attempted shoe bomber who’s in prison today [emoji6]

 

I wasn’t ranting I’m chilled out

 

[Jonathan Swift]

16 hours 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.

 

Well, while you were asleep in your dream-utopia things changed. You may want to stay home from now on. The rest of us understand the need for security, even those of us who read 1984 and Animal Farm (uh, you know, by George "Orwellian" Orwell? Which you've read, right?) . We sheep have accepted the realities of the 21st century and will continue on our merry way. By the way, you may be due for a change in your meds, you seem to be losing your grip. 

 

[Mel52]

Well, while you were asleep in your dream-utopia things changed. You may want to stay home from now on. The rest of us understand the need for security, even those of us who read 1984 and Animal Farm (uh, you know, by George "Orwellian" Orwell? Which you've read, right?) . We sheep have accepted the realities of the 21st century and will continue on our merry way. By the way, you may be due for a change in your meds, you seem to be losing your grip.    

 

 Oh yes definitely but we do have to be careful about infringing on personal freedoms otherwise the terrorists win because that’s what they want us to do is become a world of police States we must resist that and never let them win. Thomas Jefferson once said something to the effect of “if we sacrifice freedom for security then we deserve neither”. But that was over 200 years ago in a different time, security in this day and age should be the top priority to protect our freedoms not take them away so we must have vigilant security but at the same time try to respect people’s privacy and personal freedoms as much as possible which can get complicated.

 

 

[ukrules]

17 hours 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.

 

They will be doing routine DNA swabs next, just give it a few years.

[Happy Grumpy]

17 hours ago, kotsak said:

Pick your choice, either stuck in traffic jams or at the immigration queue.

I suspect the answer is 'both'.

[Mel52]

It's you that is losing a grip of reality, conforming with the sheeple and allowing yourself to be dictated to by the behemoth 

 

Ok next time you’re traveling through any airports around the world tell immigration that you’re refusing to provide your biometrics without a warrant lol [emoji23] then pull out your iPhone and start recording and keep asking the IO over and over again “AM I BEING DETAINED?”. Then see how far that gets you. Maybe you’ll get lucky and get put on a flight back home real soon and not have to sit in immigration detention waiting to be deported you never know. But I understand standing up to government bs I’ve done it before myself in the states and I won by some miracle, you have no idea I have some stories.

 

Regardless this is about safety it’s simply modern day border security technology and most of the world is doing it.

[Alan Michael]

I should think that a determined person could get round these bio metric procedures.

e.g. With bio metric face scanning that immigration want to bring in;

What if  someone was to start to wear a beard, mustache?

Would he be asked to shave it off before being allowed entry?

What if he would start to wear glasses, change his eye color with contact lenses, slightly change his hair or skin color  that doesn't correspond to his passport photo?

What if he should wear a dress and change sex?

What about ladies wearing burqa?

I would think that a clever criminal could also disguise his finger prints. It's been done before.

A waste of money and overkill if you ask me. It wasn't required before, so why now?

Are they worried about all the millions of Chinese, North African and Middle Eastern tourists that they are encouraging in in the future?

Crooks will always find way around the law, but it is the innocents that have to pay the price.

[Mel52]

I should think that a determined person could get round these bio metric procedures.

e.g. With bio metric face scanning that immigration want to bring in;

What if  someone was to start to wear a beard, mustache?

Would he be asked to shave it off before being allowed entry?

What if he would start to wear glasses, change his eye color with contact lenses, slightly change his hair or skin color  that doesn't correspond to his passport photo?

What if he should wear a dress and change sex?

What about ladies wearing burqa?

I would think that a clever criminal could also disguise his finger prints. It's been done before.

A waste of money and overkill if you ask me. It wasn't required before, so why now?

Are they worried about all the millions of Chinese, North African and Middle Eastern tourists that they are encouraging in in the future?

Crooks will always find way around the law, but it is the innocents that have to pay the price.

 

Oh man, no offense but judging by your questions you obviously don’t understand how biometrics technology works at all. I would explain it to you but I’m tired and I could write a book about it if I were to try to explain it in detail. Read all my posts above and you’ll at least get a better understanding of biometrics technology. I’ve had some training on this subject about biometrics screening at international ports of entry because of my old job long story. I don’t really feel like reading anymore I’m having an insomnia night tonight or rather this morning.

[lockyv7]

i use a knee brace a lot now and the misses keeps telling me to order a wheel chair when i book my ticket so they can wheel me through the priority queue, not like i will be fudging it it's just as you get older you dont want to admit your getting older. 

[pattayadgw]

Just look next door to Malaysia.... they've had finger print scanning for years now.... two index fingers only scanned... takes 2 seconds.... LOS couldn't organize a BJ in soi 6!! ????

[Veritas48]

Fingerprint scanning has been used on flights to the USA for a long time now.

[Zack61]

22 hours ago, kotsak said:

Pick your choice, either stuck in traffic jams or at the immigration queue.

....or both

[Skallywag]

Ahhhh - again the lifestyle of the rich and famous syndrome.  My life is too important and privileged to be forced to stand in a line like a commoner.  We foreigners support your country's economy so anything you do to aggravate us is unconscionable.  

[chainarong]

23 hours ago, Genmai said:

People who think like this tend to not realize just how much of our 'private' information is in the public domain already or available for sale to third parties. Nothing you can do about it. Personally if it means a reduced chance of actual criminals getting in and living among us then I'm all for it. Whatever privacy concerns I may have are outweighed by the benefits of living in a safer society. It's more an issue of sloppy implementation that's the problem here. Lines not managed, forms nowhere to be found, staff picking their noses and eating soup on a chair, gross scanners never cleaned, pens covered in scotch tape with the germs of 10000 travelers, IO taking their sweet time, etc. Thailand should really take notes from Japan where this system has been in place for many years.

The data base would need to very extensive to do any good, you'd need just more than Interpol's data, this stuff is all very well in the perfect sense however it is Thailand and under the current climate not every country would be glad to exchange data. 

[Henryford]

I bet there are a few new Mercedes running aound Bangkok on the back of that 2 billion.

[overherebc]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

They will be doing routine DNA swabs next, just give it a few years.

In a few years the scanners will do that from the sweat on your fingers. ????????????

[hobz]

8 hours ago, Traubert said:

It's biometrical data on people who pass through Thai immigration.

 

If those people are Chinese, I can assure you that the Chinese already have that data.

 

Of what possible use would the rest be to China?  The off-chance that they might, at some time, visit China?

 

As a non-sequitur I don't think I've ever seen a better one, and rest assured, there's been an unbeatable amount of <deleted> spouted on this thread already.

Use your imagination. 

Or when imagination fails. Use Google.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_intelligence_activity_abroad

[HHTel]

8 hours ago, Mel52 said:

 

Well it’s not only fingerprints they scanned your retina as well so they got you in their biometrics database just like the rest of us

 

Being all knowledgeable as you say, you should know that eye scanners set up in airports are iris scanners, not retina scanners which are very different.  As I'm sure you know, a retina scanner involves sending a low power laser beam into your eye.  Retinal scans cannot be taken 'casually' as some have suggested.  They are usually taken through an eyepiece and take around 30 seconds.  An iris scanner on the other hand is a digital photograph of the eye which also cannot be taken 'casually' and takes a matter of seconds.  You would know if you'd had your iris scanned.

 

Being the expert, correct me if I'm wrong and, if so, give me one airport that uses retinal scans on passengers.

[kwonitoy]

23 hours ago, nong38 said:

3rd world idea of how to impress the rest of the world with security, this what I experienced in early June. When I went out in May I forgot to take my keys out for the scanner, it did not go off. Looks like an impressive show of security if only it worked.

I've got a hip replacement, there is a piece of titanium about 20cms long in my right leg.

I've been through Udon airport at least 30 times since the operation and the scanner has never gone off.

It's not turned on.

Bangkok is about 50/50

Everywhere else in the world the scanner goes off like a fire alarm and I have to have a secondary search

 

[JASON THAI]

Remember to pay the 100 Baht after you do all this to cover your medical insurance cost now or is this to pay for this system's 2 billion Baht cost?