Thailand's Immigration Launches Automated Passport Control

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

22 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

They took out all the older Global Entry Machines where you had to scan passport and touch keys

Replaced by no touch Global Entry kiosks that scan your face only, and fewer in number. Why?

Now they are rolling out an APP you scan your own mug on your mobile as soon as you land. 

 

*But a few years ago ICE goons would approach you angry that dared to use your phone in the arrival hall. 555

 

 

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/global-entry-mobile-application#:~:text=The Global Entry Mobile App,at Global Entry approved sites.

 

 

 

On my trip back to LAX in May, there were no passport scanning machines of any kind in the international arrivals hall there, AFAICT and I did ask...  But when I finally got up to the Customs and Border Patrol desks, the officers there were holding little tethered cameras and taking everyone's photo once you walked up.

 

Then on the way back, at the boarding gate for my return flight, the boarding gates had incorporated automatic face scanners... So instead of handing your boarding pass to an airline agent to scan and check, the machine just scanned my face as I walked up, and then somehow beeped me thru.

 

[Captain Monday]

25 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

On my trip back to LAX in May, there were no passport scanning machines of any kind in the international arrivals hall there, AFAICT and I did ask...  But when I finally got up to the Customs and Border Patrol desks, the officers there were holding little tethered cameras and taking everyone's photo once you walked up.

 

Then on the way back, at the boarding gate for my return flight, the boarding gates had incorporated automatic face scanners... So instead of handing your boarding pass to an airline agent to scan and check, the machine just scanned my face as I walked up, and then somehow beeped me thru.

 

Are you enrolled in the Global Entry program? 

 

There are international arrivals at TBIT (Tom Bradley International Terminal), Terminal 6 and Terminal 7 also.

 

The departure gate face scanners are popping up at more airports. I saw a passenger recently arguing about refusing the facial scan at the departure gate  agent told him it was an airport requirement. I think they let him on without it. As biometric/facial scan technologies becomes more widespread seems like a pointless protest. Airports are filled with surveillance cameras

 

I was more concerned at SFO when I saw  black suited armed officers "screening" people with a dog before they got thru the security check line. I put screening in quotes because it was more like they were threatening them with the animal. They had set up a channel within the line using  the post and rope stanchions and the agents were yelling at the passengers to move thru two by two.

 

It really looked like something out of Schindlers List. Some people are terrified of dogs, especially large working breeds.

 

Edited November 15, 2023 by Captain Monday

[Jumbo1968]

The scanner only scans your main passport page nothing else, yes airport staff will check if you have a valid visa to enter Thailand as they will be responsible for paying for your flight if Thai Immigration won’t let you enter Thailand.

[Jumbo1968]

3 hours ago, geisha said:

So how do other more tech savvy countries, like Singapore etc, manage ? If you are on overstay the Machine reading would not let you through. I like having my exit stamps as it’s easy to follow up dates . It’s a reminder and proof for someone going in and out regularly. 

Only if you were on a data base which shows how long you have been where ever, does the local Immigration Office linked to the one at the airport ?

[liddelljohn]

If the electronic passport gates work as well as the ones in UK airports , be prepared for a very long extended holiday in Thai airports

[bristolgeoff]

Many countries are using this system now when leaving and arriving.I think at swampty it was for thais only,but are spreading to tourist now it seems.Allready have fingerprint and camera this is the next stage

[kiwikeith]

17 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

How can this be as a result of the PM's directive?

An automated passport control system takes more then a couple of months to source, install and test.

Oh dear. What to believe with this now 'Chinese controlled' press.

What happens when you put passport in if you over stayed, does machine swallow passport 

[mushroomdave]

Taiwan have had these for years. 

For myself,  likely used them 10 visits or more flying right through them.  That's both inbound / outbound and never been pulled in for further checks.  Havent faced a Taiwanese Immigration officer in years.....no complaints here!! 

 

But my guess is they won't work as well here.....as TIT!!!  

[bristolgeoff]

Just from the uk leaving and arriving process.Check in passport checked boarding card given.Go to security Passport checked and boarding card then your body scanned.Thru out u are watched then u can travel.Arriving there maybe some visual checks of passports,the machines are they to scan them too and then customs.So they do alittle of both and everywhere is similar,every passport has a bar code or chip.The computer and machines check everything now so be prepared anywhere u go

[Greenwich Boy]

6 hours ago, V8M8 said:

Singapore's in bound auto passport lanes are only for Singapore citizens or resident visa holders.

Nope. I have used them a couple of times. UK passport.

[Grumpy one]

Will these passport departure gates be small box's with a less friendly Immigration officer hidden inside, opposed to the current friendly folks bidding you farewell 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

It really looked like something out of Schindlers List. Some people are terrified of dogs, especially large working breeds.

 

I saw a bit of that on the way out of LAX last time...but not in the threatening way you describe above...

 

After completing airline counter check-in but before getting to the TSA passenger and luggage screening area, they were indeed having all passengers walk thru an inbetween area where...

 

Yes.... everyone was asked to walk in twos just once down a rectangular room area and there were a couple of handlers with dogs walking back and forth... but not coming especially close to the passengers with the dogs, and neither the handlers nor the dogs were acting in any way threatening or menacing....

 

Whenever I see those German shepherds or similar on patrol at the airports, I'm always inclined to want to stop and pet them...  But, given their duty and role, I always manage to resist that urge....  Though to be fair, I am a dog person...

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

10 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Are you enrolled in the Global Entry program? 

 

There are international arrivals at TBIT (Tom Bradley International Terminal), Terminal 6 and Terminal 7 also.

 

No to the first question... Just an ordinary, not privileged, traveler.

 

As for the second one, my comment on the absence of the passport scanning machines was based on arriving to the Tom Bradley terminal in Los Angeles.

 

 

[sandyf]

On 11/15/2023 at 4:15 PM, Jumbo1968 said:

9 times out of 10 my passport for some reason never opens the gates in the U.K. and I have to get it checked manually.

Quote "It’s only scanning your personal details"

[worldexpress]

On 11/15/2023 at 9:37 AM, V8M8 said:

Singapore's in bound auto passport lanes are only for Singapore citizens or resident visa holders.

Wrong! Don't state things you have no idea about.

[Captain Monday]

On 11/15/2023 at 7:15 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

No to the first question... Just an ordinary, not privileged, traveler.

 

As for the second one, my comment on the absence of the passport scanning machines was based on arriving to the Tom Bradley terminal in Los Angeles.

 

 

Global Entry is not a privilege it is paid programme.

Your credit card may reimburse the

 $100 application fee. Then valid 5 years.

Available to following nationalities also

• Argentina
• Bahrain
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Croatia
• Germany
• India
• New Zealand
• Panama
• Republic of Korea
• Singapore
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• The Netherlands
• United Kingdom

[JimTripper]

In the future it will all be automated if the country can afford the technology. Officers will be in a back room somewhere only for irregularities. Remember 1984 when they come marching out?

 

If you're not comfortable with it, risist the digital id's & digital currency stuff that's on the way, as everything gets linked together by AI and the surveillance state. They may even blacklist you before you get on the plane!

 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by JimTripper

[tamsam6]

Interesting as I've seen videos and images from Suvarnabhumi as flooded and queues back into the hallways.

Really hope they can fix this soon as i'm coming over for a vacation :)

[steve187]

On 11/15/2023 at 8:20 AM, redwood1 said:

Nope Nope.....I never use them and never will in the future...

good for you

[V8M8]

On 11/26/2023 at 12:05 AM, worldexpress said:

Wrong! Don't state things you have no idea about.

That was an un called for out burst. Perhaps you've had a bad day or your piles are playing up but there is no need for agression within a simple discussion about immigration lanes in Singapore.

[still kicking]

On 11/26/2023 at 11:20 AM, tamsam6 said:

Interesting as I've seen videos and images from Suvarnabhumi as flooded and queues back into the hallways.

Really hope they can fix this soon as i'm coming over for a vacation :)

I took me ages to get through custom arriving and leaving.

[Moncul]

I seem to remember them having this egate system for arrivals at Heathrow for a while, and I never had a problem with it. Very quick in fact.

But it must have worked too well because they abandoned it.

[Sheryl]

15 minutes ago, Moncul said:

I seem to remember them having this egate system for arrivals at Heathrow for a while, and I never had a problem with it. Very quick in fact.

But it must have worked too well because they abandoned it.

Still had it this summer when i entered

 

Wasn't working so well, though

[digbeth]

On 11/16/2023 at 1:55 AM, kiwikeith said:

What happens when you put passport in if you over stayed, does machine swallow passport 

 

Sirens sounds, red light on the gate where you are as immigration officers runs towards you shouting and escort you to the back rooms

 

/joking aside

there should be a desk where you could willingly surrender to pay your overstay, or they might have a sign that those on overstay should go to the manual queue, 

[digbeth]

On 11/16/2023 at 12:10 AM, Jumbo1968 said:

Only if you were on a data base which shows how long you have been where ever, does the local Immigration Office linked to the one at the airport ?

all the office's system should be linked, 

edge case are probably some land border that don't have linked system, and if you did a visa run using those borders and only got stamps or a service took your passport to be stamped out and in using dodgy methods, in which case the gat just won't open and you have to go see an officer in the normal queue 

[geisha]

On 12/12/2023 at 2:14 AM, Moncul said:

I seem to remember them having this egate system for arrivals at Heathrow for a while, and I never had a problem with it. Very quick in fact.

But it must have worked too well because they abandoned it.

I always use them, works perfectly for me.

[connda]

On 11/15/2023 at 5:04 AM, webfact said:

Additionally, it involves the use of technology for outbound passenger checks, freeing up immigration staff to focus more on inbound checks.

Right.  Of course they'll move the extra immigration staff on inbound checks.  Yep.

[Bday Prang]

Will these machines work as they do in civilised countries  ie relatively quickly,  or will it be a "special Thai version"    that will have to look at every page of your passport taking  10 to 15 minutes .whilst making people feel as intimidated as possible  I can imagine the machines "dressed" in the familiar brown uniforms, equipped with piercing eyes,  and of course only 30% of them actually working at any one time

[Bday Prang]

On 12/12/2023 at 8:43 AM, digbeth said:

 

Sirens sounds, red light on the gate where you are as immigration officers runs towards you shouting and escort you to the back rooms

 

/joking aside

there should be a desk where you could willingly surrender to pay your overstay, or they might have a sign that those on overstay should go to the manual queue, 

That's pretty much how I expect things to go down , although I cannot imagine any officer actually running

Alternatively a trap door may open sending the unfortunate overstayer to the immigration dungeon directly below

Edited December 13, 2023 by Bday Prang