Thailand Pass registration system to remain, says Tourism and Sports Minister

[Kalasin Jo]

5 hours ago, Letseng said:

Nobody forced me to install the app.

Nor me. Neither forced nor asked to as I was processed with the Thailand Pass. Nor later. I don't have it.

[spidermike007]

Now they admit they need to be able to keep better track of tourists. The pass allows them to do that somewhat. After all, so many tourists are criminals, junkies, thieves and trouble makers. Not to mention we are unclean and unpure. Of course, we are foreigners. We are of a far lower status than the lofty men in charge here.

 

What they cannot comprehend, is that this system, even after it is finally reduced to only a one nite quarantine, will keep arrival numbers limited to 40,000-100,000 a month, and the planet will write off Thailand, even more than they already have. 

 

Perhaps all this decimation of the tourism industry is deliberate sabotage after all, as I have been suggesting for some time. A type of purification and cleansing of the land, by deliberate decimation of tourism, resulting in the utter wipeout of Thai nightlife, "the industry", and much of the nation's character. A spectacularly ignorant  Quaker style whitewashing. 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by spidermike007

[ThailandRyan]

3 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

 

My thought as well. By keeping the data, not only able to monitor "tourists" within Thailand but potentially "worldwide" by spying on social media. I call it the "China Syndrome"!

 

"resurrected a plan pushed by the military junta up to 2015 to put in place a national internet gateway to control access to the internet in Thailand"

 

 https://aseannow.com/topic/1251112-minister-signals-a-move-to-resurrect-a-national-internet-gateway-and-stronger-online-controls/

 

Ie...big brother wants to watch your every move... 

[zzaa09]

12 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Now they admit they need to be able to keep better track of tourists. The pass allows them to do that somewhat. After all, so many tourists are criminals, junkies, thieves and trouble makers. Not to mention we are unclean and unpure. Of course, we are foreigners. We are of a far lower status than the lofty men in charge here.

 

What they cannot comprehend, is that this system, even after it is finally reduced to only a one nite quarantine, will keep arrival numbers limited to 40,000-100,000 a month, and the planet will write off Thailand, even more than they already have. 

 

Perhaps all this decimation of the tourism industry is deliberate sabotage after all, as I have been suggesting for some time. A type of purification and cleansing of the land, by deliberate decimation of tourism, resulting in the utter wipeout of Thai nightlife and much of the nation's character. A spectacularly ignorant  Quaker style whitewashing. 

 

 

Personally, I'm expecting that they will drop the TP/T&P entry programs reasonably soon. 

The catch, though, will be that they'll be designing another alternative for the already established registration/tracking system - as they somewhat had such in place before Covid. 

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Personally, I'm expecting that they will drop the TP/T&P entry programs reasonably soon. 

The catch, though, will be that they'll be designing another alternative for the already established registration/tracking system - as they somewhat had such in place before Covid. 

They already track us expats by way of a 90 day report........

[tomyami]

Apart from soi buakao pattaya is deserted because of their system not covid

[garyk]

These guys have gutted the tourist industry and the middle class Thai people in the process.

 

[Blumpie]

26 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

Now they admit they need to be able to keep better track of tourists. The pass allows them to do that somewhat. After all, so many tourists are criminals, junkies, thieves and trouble makers. Not to mention we are unclean and unpure. Of course, we are foreigners. We are of a far lower status than the lofty men in charge here.

 

What they cannot comprehend, is that this system, even after it is finally reduced to only a one nite quarantine, will keep arrival numbers limited to 40,000-100,000 a month, and the planet will write off Thailand, even more than they already have. 

 

Perhaps all this decimation of the tourism industry is deliberate sabotage after all, as I have been suggesting for some time. A type of purification and cleansing of the land, by deliberate decimation of tourism, resulting in the utter wipeout of Thai nightlife, "the industry", and much of the nation's character. A spectacularly ignorant  Quaker style whitewashing. 

 

 

Just look at your pictures.  They really carry the reality of what is going on in Thailand right now.  

I am one of the many whom you refer to has "writing off Thailand".  There is no interest for me to go there in any way.  I've gone to Mexico instead, and it was no big deal.  

Alll the younger ones in my family are dying to travel now - to Bali.  Thailand is not even on their list.  Thailand has changed, for me, irreparably.  We know who they want to go there once the borders open - and that's fine I guess.  

Central america is awesome (but not as safe of course!).  

[garyk]

3 minutes ago, Blumpie said:

Just look at your pictures.  They really carry the reality of what is going on in Thailand right now.  

I am one of the many whom you refer to has "writing off Thailand".  There is no interest for me to go there in any way.  I've gone to Mexico instead, and it was no big deal.  

Alll the younger ones in my family are dying to travel now - to Bali.  Thailand is not even on their list.  Thailand has changed, for me, irreparably.  We know who they want to go there once the borders open - and that's fine I guess.  

Central america is awesome (but not as safe of course!).  

Here is one more with ya.  My Thai GF of over 14 years has lost her business and is trying to get me to come back. 

No way am i going back.

[tomacht8]

5 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

The authorities are equally if not more concerned about monitoring and controlling their own people.

 

They are equally if not more incompetent in doing that.

 

Each ministry and agency so enthusiastic about this is purely throwing its weight about, those in charge are building their own empires. There is no coordination or real ability to use the information; just the usual corrupt mess of nepotism, appointment buying, cronyism and incompetence.

I agree. One part is digitized, the other part is filed in old fashion paper form, archived in card index boxes. A single chaos and messed-up system. And instead of getting rid of something nonsensical or duplicates, more and more is added. A big problem is that amateurs build all kinds of databases, apps, websites, Excel spreadsheets, etc., but some of them don't work and are also incompatible. However, the biggest problem is data security. All the diligent data collectors have in terms of data security: Stone Age level. Almost every institution (immigration, banks, hotels, transport companies, telephone companies, online shops, hospitals, etc.) make copies of passports, save credit cards/bank information, e-mail addresses. It is inevitable that one or the other employee will sell this data to criminals. The right to his personal data is trampled on here. I recently asked my bank office to print out my stored data. He looked at me like a deer in headlights. Dangerous kindergarten here.

Edited February 22, 2022 by tomacht8

[herfiehandbag]

45 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Personally, I'm expecting that they will drop the TP/T&P entry programs reasonably soon. 

The catch, though, will be that they'll be designing another alternative for the already established registration/tracking system - as they somewhat had such in place before Covid. 

 

42 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

They already track us expats by way of a 90 day report........

And yet they don't, or are unable to coordinate that information.

 

Whatever system they set up, and I'm sure you are right and there will be one, the information it (may ) gather will be a closely guarded secret, not to be shared with any other ministry or agency!

 

Each ministry and agency is a rival fiefdom and exists to serve the ego and wishes of its boss. They recruit and promote by nepotism, cronyism and simple corruption.

 

However much or little information they may manage to harvest they will not be able to make any coherent use of it, and won't share it - so I suppose pragmatically it doesn't really matter. A bit of a metaphor for most Thai beaurocratic endeavours!

Edited February 22, 2022 by herfiehandbag

[NorthernRyland]

1 hour ago, aussienam said:

This day five PCR test is a massive turn-off for tourists and anyone else traveling. 

 

This maybe made sense when Phuket was assumed to be COVID free but now that it's known to be infected the multiple tests are extremely risky. Any tourists that come to Phuket now better stay in their room until day 5 if they want to avoid the disaster scenario of forced quarantine.

[kennw]

10 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

There must be more behind this subject than they are prepared to let on, surely they can extract the data on current tourists and delete the data on ones that have returned home what is so difficult in this??

$$$$$$$$$$ for insurance business

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, kennw said:

$$$$$$$$$$ for insurance business

Of course it is the one way they can ensure the travelers are insured.  I am beginning to believe that the days of a last minute flight booking and hotel rooms will never return.  I can see the Thai Pass system being tied to an e-visa scheme and everyone wanting to visit Thailand having to register, even us expats will be having to register, but then that's my opinion. 

[tomacht8]

The TP system is a bereavement. Everything went wrong that could go wrong.

Wrong browser = process crash

Wrong email provider = process abort

Send PDF files = rejection

Incomplete input masks = rejection.

No process feedback = Tourists don't know if they're allowed to fly or not.

Now the highlight: hacked database, stolen data and Trojan spam mails for the applicants.

If something like that happened in the free economy, those responsible would have been stoned and quartered long ago.

 

Why the tourism minister wants to keep this piece of junk software makes no sense to normal-thinking people.

Edited February 22, 2022 by tomacht8

[alyx]

I might be optimist but maybe there is something lost in translation. Perhaps this Minister means that some sort of control such as the Thailand Pass should be  kept in place but has nothing to do with quarantine or tracking while in the Kingdom.

I guess something comparable to the Entry/Exit System (EES) which will be effective some time this year in Europe. This system  allows the authorities to monitor the third country's visitors

[Canadian Snowbird]

It seems like every week I read something here that lessons my desire to ever go back to Thailand. The Thailand Pass is cumbersome at best, insecure at worst. The whole idea of paying for everything up front with no certainty of approval in time to make your flights is a <deleted> shoot. I miss spending winters and playing golf in Thailand, but I have to wonder how many golf courses will still be there if sanity ever returns to the country.

[NHPT]

I'm so excited about the way Thailand is opening up....

 

That I'm planning to return to Vietnam!

[Hanuman2547]

"Speaking to Thai language news outlet Bangkok Biz News, Tourism and Sports Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakarn explained that Thailand Pass is a state registration system and it can not simply be cancelled.

“The Thailand Pass system cannot be cancelled because it holds data and important information on tourists which can be used to trace them when they travel in Thailand,” Mr Pipat said.

Since July 2021, anyone visiting Thailand has been required to register using the Thailand Pass system."

 

What a load of rubbish.  Yes, it can be cancelled.  You didn't even have it just a little while ago.  You just need to dismantle the system.  Why the need to track the movements of every tourist entering Thailand?  Is this North Korea or the former East Germany?  You already have hotels required to report all foreigners staying at their hotel to immigration.  What's next, ankle bracelets with GPS monitoring?  I see an increase in tourists bypassing Thailand and going to Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos.  

[daejung]

16 hours ago, JackGats said:

Indeed. This is the mail I got today on the mail address I used for my Thailand Pass, a mail address no one is supposed to know:

 

 

 

 

How can you be sure it's fake ?

[mickj88]

The Mrs returned last week , No tourists on her flight only ferang were travelling with their partners. All the Thais moaning about the Thai pass and added costs.

To begin woth yes the Thais blamed Covid for the lack of tourist which was the main factor. Now they can see the surrounding comuntries opening up without the restraints and also the returning Thais pointing out the restrictions are a major erason for tourists not returning. All my wifes family keep asking me when I am going to visit ? will I be there in next month but I say no beacause the restrictions are adding at least  £500 on the cost of a trip , why would I want to pay that ? I usually spend a couple of £k while Im there for 4 weeks,  Im not being held to ransome would rather put my cash into somethinmg elseand go somewhere else .

[ThailandRyan]

38 minutes ago, daejung said:

How can you be sure it's fake ?

because the sender of the spam e-mail is not the Thai Pass website and its attachments the e-mail wants you to open are malware.   I has been written before and stated before the site has been hacked.

 

 

[NanaSomchai]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Now they admit they need to be able to keep better track of tourists. The pass allows them to do that somewhat. After all, so many tourists are criminals, junkies, thieves and trouble makers. Not to mention we are unclean and unpure. Of course, we are foreigners. We are of a far lower status than the lofty men in charge here.

This this this this and this again and again and again and some more.

 

How can I upvote you more than once Mike? Just tell me, how?

 

It's over. Thailand is dead.

 

If you are an expat/monger/retiree/tourist/traveler from the North American continent, your best destinations now are among Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil and Panama.

 

If you are from Northern Europe (or the UK, Brexit, remember?), your best destinations now are among Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Malta and that region of warmer/southern Europe.

 

The World has changed, Thailand is gone, move on with it.

[NanaSomchai]

8 hours ago, Blumpie said:

Just look at your pictures.  They really carry the reality of what is going on in Thailand right now.  

I am one of the many whom you refer to has "writing off Thailand".  There is no interest for me to go there in any way.  I've gone to Mexico instead, and it was no big deal.  

Alll the younger ones in my family are dying to travel now - to Bali.  Thailand is not even on their list.  Thailand has changed, for me, irreparably.  We know who they want to go there once the borders open - and that's fine I guess.  

Central america is awesome (but not as safe of course!).  

Indeed it has, irreparably.

[NanaSomchai]

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Of course it is the one way they can ensure the travelers are insured.  I am beginning to believe that the days of a last minute flight booking and hotel rooms will never return.

This is gone forever, I was used to purchase air fares as little as 8 hours before departure time for less than 300, all I needed back then was my passport and my credit card in my pocket, that was literally it. That traveling model is gone forever. 

 

7 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I can see the Thai Pass system being tied to an e-visa scheme and everyone wanting to visit Thailand having to register, even us expats will be having to register, but then that's my opinion. 

Electronic System for Travel Authorization (USA) style indeed.

 

[NanaSomchai]

5 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

What a load of rubbish.  Yes, it can be cancelled.  You didn't even have it just a little while ago.  You just need to dismantle the system.  Why the need to track the movements of every tourist entering Thailand?  Is this North Korea or the former East Germany?  You already have hotels required to report all foreigners staying at their hotel to immigration.  What's next, ankle bracelets with GPS monitoring?  I see an increase in tourists bypassing Thailand and going to Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Laos.  

One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity.

 

I sincerely hope Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines are seizing this unique in a lifetime opportunity.

[KKr]

On 2/22/2022 at 11:49 AM, JackGats said:

Indeed. This is the mail I got today on the mail address I used for my Thailand Pass, a mail address no one is supposed to know:

 

 

 

 

interesting, who is sending this?  not sendgrit.net

in the raw version of the message, the true sender's address will be visible !!

Edited February 23, 2022 by KKr

[sandyf]

On 2/22/2022 at 11:32 AM, BayArea said:

"The Thailand Pass system cannot be cancelled because it holds data and important information on tourists which can be used to trace them when they travel in Thailand " Mr. Pipat said

 

this is exactly why the Thai government should abolish it!!!!

What on earth do you think these forms are used for.

When the WTO changes tack, Thailand may well follow, until then feel free to keep on whinging.

 

"Most countries have their own online passenger tracking form. Nowadays this online tracking form is mostly known under the name of Passenger Locator form."

"The public health passenger locator form has been developed by the World Health Organization."

https://www.passenger-locator-form.com/

[the green light]

One must read between the line here. the purpose is to keep track of  the tourist for many immigration reason such as :

1. over staying -long term

2. not doing 90 days reporting

3. skipping getting a visa extension

4. criminal action

 

they will start generating a new black list for the farang tourists. Depending on whether or not a farang is on another black list, Their ordinary action will be either expulsion from the country, taking them to  the back woods and eliminating them or preventing them re-entry to the country again.

 

it is so simple upfront for a health reason. But It sounds that there must be an interior reason for it.

[the green light]

On 2/21/2022 at 11:36 PM, baboon said:

From the horse's mouth - 'We are a totalitarian state and so what?' Jesus Christ, what an admission....

it sounds like the hitlerian "yellow star" all over again when they single out

the tourist ( farang) only.