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

[The Deerhunter]

5 hours ago, bluesofa said:

As they've spent 2 billion Baht in this, a few handouts in a dozen languages explaining the details wouldn't have been too much to ask would it?

 

Actually it probably would, when the RTP were getting the Interpol documents for the Red Bull killer translated a year or so back, it took them weeks of waiting to do that. The speed on that job was perhaps inversely proportional to any cash donations received from interested parties.

 

There again I'm using that non-understood foreign concept - forward planning.

Three foreign concepts; forward planning, defensive driving and preventitve maintenance.  Perhaps iris recognition might be quicker.  Ten fingers but only two eyes.

[craigieboy1973]

6 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.

 

Guess not see you in Thailand then .... one less farang complaining 

[robertson468]

6 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.

 

So, apart from that you love Thailand?

[Mel52]

“Why are you all afraid of getting fingerprinted ? Singapore has been doing it for 15 years & never heard a bitch on Thai Visa.”

 

 

 

 

Exactly I was just saying that biometrics screening has been around for a few decades now it’s nothing new. Thailand has recently been upgrading theirs.

[watcharacters]

6 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.

 

I fully understand and appreciate your disgust.   This planet entered a new chapter after 9-11 happened.   Prior to that I believe I could actually see a friend off at the boarding gate of an airline and not be left at the entrance to TSA.   

 

It'd be one thing if it stopped with just the airlines but now security is becoming more and more a major part of our everyday lives.     We've passed the time in history where security will no longer be an overriding factor.    

[DrTuner]

7 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

I mean, are there any clear instructions visible that tell you the order of what hand and what fingers first, followed by, etc etc?  Having the Immigration officers trying to provide verbal directions like that would seem to be a recipe for disaster.

This is exactly what they were doing last time, "place your left hand on the glass" - wait until they click on something - "place your right hand on the glass" - wait until they click on something - "place thumbs on glass" - wait until they click on something - wait until they do something very very slowly. Took probably about a minute and a half. Singapore IIRC they only took thumbs and it was like 15-20secs.

Edited June 28, 2019 by DrTuner

[Mel52]

 
I fully understand and appreciate your disgust.   This planet entered a new chapter after 9-11 happened.   Prior to that I believe I could actually see a friend off at the boarding gate of an airline and not be left at the entrance to TSA.   
 
It'd be one thing if it stopped with just the airlines but now security is becoming more and more a major part of our everyday lives.     We've passed the time in history where security will no longer be an overriding factor.    

Exactly the old days of airline travel is long gone

[legend49]

6 hours ago, bartender100 said:

And when you leave the finger printing is done now also

Many countries do this process but only five digits to be scanned and no need to check every page in the passport either. Why they need 10 digits scanned is a big joke.

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

That is a long que! And it is thoroughly inexcusable, on every level. The authorities have the schedule of all incoming flights. When they see a number of flights arriving within minutes of each other, it is their duty and obligation to get additional staff, to man the ques, and make sure this does not happen. They sure have enough lines for this, they have enough agents, and they have plenty of revenue. This is gross incompetency at the highest levels. 

 

Tourists are already tired when they arrive, some on very long flights. The last thing one wants to see is an immigration line, that is an hour or longer. Shame on immigration.

 

Shame on Prayuth. Shame on the horrendously incompetent army. Get out of the way, so your nation can progress. Move aside. Let the nation grow and prosper. You are not the answer! You are not wanted, needed, or liked by the people. 

Quite agree, but.

When the idiots are running the asylum, there are bound to be a few hiccups.

[Andycoops]

Another nail in the western tourist coffin.

The Chinese won't mind as they are already used to a police state and are herded everywhere anyway.

[Denim]

6 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

The system has been hailed as state-of-the-art

 

Typo . Should read :

 

State-of-the-cart

 

I am practicing a strategy to circumvent these long queues should I run into one. It involves getting near a pretty immigration hall helper then giving out a loud scream , clutching my heart and dropping to the floor with my legs trembling for a few seconds. Hopefully I will be stretchered through quicker than otherwise. At the very least the pretty helper might give me mouth to mouth which will make things seem a lot better.

 

[Ireland32]

6 hours ago, kralledr said:

do they  Scan also on exit?

I would be interested in this reply

[hobz]

I bet china has access to this database. Any takers against?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 minute ago, Ireland32 said:

I would be interested in this reply

 

I asked the same question above, and several answers were that yes they are scanning on exit, though apparently not uniformly, and not a full set of fingers, as apparently they're doing on one's first arrival under the new system.

 

[Dogbarker]

..and if course the finger print scanner will need sanitizing after every user to avoid transmission of communicable diseases and viruses!?.... 

[Mel52]

I bet china has access to this database. Any takers against?

 

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.

 

[PomPolo]

6 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.

 

Unfortunately many other countries do this as part of their immigration process even the US in certain scenarios - if people have nothing to hide and don't plan on overstaying or committing crimes in the country they are visiting there shouldn't be too much to worry about - but agree it is not normally a western cultural process to take fingerprints on entry of a country.

[moe666]

6 hours ago, Eligius said:

You are right: as far as I know, we cannot say 'no'. If we do, we shall be refused entry. So outwardly we are forced to go along with it - but inwardly (if we are true human beings with spirit) we will be railing at the criminal way in which we are increasingly being treated.

 

There really needs to be a world-wide revolution against the dehumanisation of global society which is proceeding apace. People are being turned into zombified slaves, and as the great Aldous Huxley predicted, people are being trained to 'love their servitude'.

Speak for your self

[Bang Bang]

I went through this coming back couple of weeks ago. There really should be zero added time in processing per person.

 

Hand over the passport and as the IMO starts flipping pages go right hand fingers sans thumb on scanner -> ditto left hand -> two thumbs, all done well before the IMO gets to stamping. If I remember rightly there's a camera on top of the scanner so the face (or retina) pics are done as well in the same time.

 

[nickmondo]

the comedy continues.

ha ha

Thailand past its sell by date now I am sorry to say

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, natway09 said:

Why are you all afraid of getting fingerprinted ? Singapore has been doing it for 15 years & never heard a bitch on Thai Visa

Singapore only started a couple of years back, they don't make you do both hands and there is no need to go to an IO on departure for certain passport holders, all in all very efficient.

[Mel52]

Unfortunately many other countries do this as part of their immigration process even the US in certain scenarios - if people have nothing to hide and don't plan on overstaying or committing crimes in the country they are visiting there shouldn't be too much to worry about - but agree it is not normally a western cultural process to take fingerprints on entry of a country.

 

Biometrics started in the United States and now it’s international almost every country in the world does this nowadays. I’m not against it I’m just clarifying

[Bang Bang]

The biometric database could actually be put to good use to eliminate TM 30 like forms. Install scanners at commercial residences and scan international guests in. Done in 10 secs, not a single form to fill.

[DrTuner]

27 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

Another nail in the western tourist coffin.

The Chinese won't mind as they are already used to a police state and are herded everywhere anyway.

For expats in Thailand it's starting to look like this:

 

[federico]

Hi everybody

sorry if the question has been asked before but does anyone knows if that fingerprints system is on in the lines reserved for thai citizens ?

i was wondering if i can go on those lines with my wife when arriving ? 

do they take fingerprints of the thai citizens as well ?

have a nice day and thanks for your replies

[DrTuner]

12 minutes ago, Dogbarker said:

..and if course the finger print scanner will need sanitizing after every user to avoid transmission of communicable diseases and viruses!?.... 

Airports are petri dishes for airborne diseases anyway, never mind toilet door knobs, fingerprint glasses, etc. The delights of air travel these days.

[Mel52]

Singapore only started a couple of years back, they don't make you do both hands and there is no need to go to an IO on departure for certain passport holders, all in all very efficient.

lol [emoji23] I heard Thailand is going to start scanning all ten fingers and toes as well at the airport and take a DNA sample. Come on people chill it’s airport security it’s the world we live in today it sucks sometimes but it’s just life. If this is the worst thing people have to complain about then life’s pretty good

[HHTel]

6 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.

 

There are a growing number of countries that take biometric data at airports and borders around the world.  Thailand is by no means the first to use it.  Most countries now insist on biometric passports.

Fingerprints have for many years been used to unlock doors, secure your mobile phone, access information, time recording in work ('clock-on' 'clock-off'), used in schools, open apps, turn on/off equipment etc etc.

They've been around for some years now and becoming increasingly popular.  Before fingerprint scanners, we were 'herded and branded' in many other ways.  Fingerprint scanners make it easier.

 

It's not going to go away and unless you never leave your home then get used to it.

[Peterphuket]

I was thinking someday it will be more quite, but now they need my 10 fingers......unbelievable sh*t is it.

And Thai can walking through without encountering any resistant.

What do you mean, they like foreigners.

[White Christmas13]

28 minutes ago, Ireland32 said:

I would be interested in this reply

I did not scanned on exit only on entry both hands