Pre-screening to be launched this year: Immigration Bureau

Kornkamon Aksorndej,

Ittipon Iamchoei

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Immigration Bureau is preparing to launch a pre-screening system for visitors to Thailand before the end of this year.

This crucial step, in addition to equipping immigration officials with foreign-language skills, is part of preparation for the Asean Economic Community (AEC), which will kick off in 2015.

"The new system will allow us to check passenger names against the blacklist before their arrival," Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Panu Lerdlarpphol said yesterday.

He said that in order to prepare for the AEC, fluency in English would be a necessary qualification for immigration officers.

"We will also consider getting officials to learn a third language such as Lao, Cambodia, Mandarin or Japanese depending on the number of visitors from that country," Panu said.

More than 30 million people had travelled in and out of Thailand this year, he noted.

The immigration bureau would improve its technology to better prevent blacklisted people from entering the country.

"We will also ensure that there is an adequate number of computers available for use and all personnel have access to the updated database," he said.

Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Division 4 yesterday launched its "Smart Police and Social Network for AEC" project.

The bureau has eight Bangkok police stations in its jurisdiction.

The bureau's commander Pol Maj-General Naiyawat Padermchit said the project aimed to ensure that police looked smart, were able to use new technology and could communicate with foreigners.

The project will kick off by launching English and Chinese-language courses for 30 officers today.

"We will also create a Facebook account through which people can provide clues or tip-offs," Naiyawat said, adding that officers under his supervision will also use Twitter, e-mail, Line and YouTube in suppressing crime.

"These applications will allow for two-way communication. We have discovered that people's access to leaflets prepared by the police is very limited," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-10-30

Very good, presently done in the western world, prescreening. Nice that the officers will learn a second and or third language also. Congratulations Thailand, moving to be a first world, first class country.

Personally I prefer they only speak Thai

I cannot speak one word of Thai

It means they ask no questions

They take passport, stamp it and I am off

Can only imagine the delays of they try to

ask questions in a foreign language

"pardon, what, pardon, again please ... slowly"

No thanks

I would think English would always be a priority. Just about every nation (apart from Thailand), irrespective of mother tongue, speaks English. China is fast learning English as well. Teaching anyone Laos or Cambodian? How many 'visitors' do we get from there? Mandarin and English I think would be a good start with emphasis on English. Japanese is way down the list at 3rd place as being essential.

I like the part where it says 'look smart', because this is all thats going to happen.

Oh, Oooh, prepare for longer cues and longer waiting times times 100 folds, folks...

Just wondered...... Thais speaking English, was there some sort of gap/problem 30 - 40 years ago ?

Been here 9 years, always appears to be the same, many older Thais speak good English, and most young ones, just appears that far fewer Thais between 35 - 50 can speak or understand any English.. I do not mean Professionals I am talking about the every day Village Thais..

Always amazed me going to the different Village markets over the years the amount of older market traders that speak to me in English, even when I try to practice a bit of Thai, they will reply in English

There is a guy at Chonburi immigration that speaks English, and I always look to him for help each time I go. Until I can learn Thai, I am very glad that they are going to learn English. Should help all of us.

Personally I prefer they only speak Thai

I cannot speak one word of Thai

It means they ask no questions

They take passport, stamp it and I am off

Can only imagine the delays of they try to

ask questions in a foreign language

"pardon, what, pardon, again please ... slowly"

No thanks

You cannot speak "one word of Thai" WOW, hope you are only a short stay visitor. Ever heard of RESPECT ?

they may have 30-300 "skilled" people, if only 5 are actually working that day (sitting in a counter in stead of taking a break when a plane full of tourists arrive), pretty much useless

Personally I prefer they only speak Thai

I cannot speak one word of Thai

It means they ask no questions

They take passport, stamp it and I am off

Can only imagine the delays of they try to

ask questions in a foreign language

"pardon, what, pardon, again please ... slowly"

No thanks

You cannot speak "one word of Thai" WOW, hope you are only a short stay visitor. Ever heard of RESPECT ?

Yeah just like all the Thais who speak English going to the US or UK...obviously you are special (we had a special class at our school too)

"We will also create a Facebook account through which people can provide clues or tip-offs," Naiyawat said, adding that officers under his supervision will also use Twitter, e-mail, Line and YouTube in suppressing crime.

Next time you see an immigration office busy on his cellphone while ignoring the long queue at his desk, you can be sure he's just getting job-related feedback for self-improvement.

Getting a job in immigration here isn't so much skill related. One must have family connections or know someone in the Police or immigration. Even then Its an expensive job to buy into. Yes these jobs are sold sometimes for several million baht. Its not a case of going along and saying "I have perfect English and feel I would be good for the job" Oh no.

When Swampi opened I was living with Thai Police woman and paid for her entrance exams and courses. Before the 20,000+ applicants where going to get their results almost all of the 250 positions where filled behind closed doors. Many couldn't speak a word of English.

As with many aspects of Thai society and corporate hierarchy educated professional cannot get to the positions where they are needed. As a result complete incompetents end up in positions of authority.

These jobs are handed down through the old boys network.

Edited October 30, 201213 yr by Pui

Would be better if they understood their own dam_n systems..

My most recent return to the kingdom (long stay extension, 3 days left on a re-entry permit) she couldnt understand the stamps.. Told me my visa was expired (yes it did 3 years ago.. When extensions began) and then would only give me 3 days to the end of the re-entry permit !! I was super smily and polite, explained all my stamps and showed the longer 'permission to stay' stamp.. I gently asked to speak to a manager and she refused.. Scowling, barking, threatening the entire time.. I got a 3 day entry !!

No one at any other point in Swampy or Chiang mai airport immigrations would repair her mistake and I had to take more time out to go to immigration locally to repair it..

Having an immigration officer who doesnt understand visas, permissions to stay and re entry permits.. Scowling and grunting through the whole process.. Just in such contrast to Singapore, Malay, even Cambo.. Just another 'welcome home'..

Edited October 30, 201213 yr by LivinLOS

Wow.. I honestly never knew that the passport control officials at the airport don't speak English, I'm truly astounded.

I would have thought that it was a requirement of the job.

English would be the worldwide language of communication.

Some countries might generally have a lower knowledge of english than others.

Having an interpreter for major languages might be more efficient than trying to get immigration officers able to converse in Mandarin or Russian for that matter.

I would think English would always be a priority. Just about every nation (apart from Thailand), irrespective of mother tongue, speaks English. China is fast learning English as well. Teaching anyone Laos or Cambodian? How many 'visitors' do we get from there? Mandarin and English I think would be a good start with emphasis on English. Japanese is way down the list at 3rd place as being essential.

Russian is important as well. Many visitors comes from there and they mostly speak poor English.

Waiting times will not be longer, because the guy in front of you will be taken out of the line, if he even gets that far, as being undesireable in the country, he won't be tieing up your time while immigration wonders if he should go through secondary questioning, or bringing a higher up over to question him more about his visit to Thailand, his purpose, his funds etc. Hopefully this will be done before he/she even reaches the immigration desk.

"Please come this way, Sir or Madam." Learning a second language is secondary to getting the people who are not wanted in Thailand out of the line and into the lockup. Look at the big picture those fellows on T.V. this morning/every morning who steal your money, cameras, cellphones, atm cards etc., who come from another country, who offer you drugs on the street and any other illegal services may not get the opportunity that they once had.

It could save you more than a few minutes, the prescreening policy could save your life.

Personally I prefer they only speak Thai

I cannot speak one word of Thai

It means they ask no questions

They take passport, stamp it and I am off

Can only imagine the delays of they try to

ask questions in a foreign language

"pardon, what, pardon, again please ... slowly"

No thanks

You cannot speak "one word of Thai" WOW, hope you are only a short stay visitor. Ever heard of RESPECT ?

I do know some farangs who cannot learn the Thai language. One french guy has an accent that makes say a thai word that is not understandable.

Appears to me that you do not have any respect for people who, for some reasons, are just not able to learn to speak thai. Or who have been here just a short time.

When you will have learnt about the concept of respect, you might find out that it goes both ways...

best way to screen for terrorists: ask them to name as many types of vest as they can think of. if they only answer suicide and bullet proof, they're probably a terrorist

Cannot remember when an immigration officer talked to me on arrival ..they look passport and stamped ... ok I go in and out all the time and my passport is full of stamps , honestly no need to engage conversation specially with long queue. Usually they would say what hotel you stay ...and that's it .

From 2015 onward Thailand will become the leper colony of S.E. Asia - everyone will bypass the country and visit the others. This country is heading one way only and that is further down. The English language is not going to curb the arrogance, it's just going to make it worse. Respect is a two way street and something to be earned not demanded.

Waiting times will not be longer, because the guy in front of you will be taken out of the line, if he even gets that far, as being undesireable in the country, he won't be tieing up your time while immigration wonders if he should go through secondary questioning, or bringing a higher up over to question him more about his visit to Thailand, his purpose, his funds etc. Hopefully this will be done before he/she even reaches the immigration desk.

"Please come this way, Sir or Madam." Learning a second language is secondary to getting the people who are not wanted in Thailand out of the line and into the lockup. Look at the big picture those fellows on T.V. this morning/every morning who steal your money, cameras, cellphones, atm cards etc., who come from another country, who offer you drugs on the street and any other illegal services may not get the opportunity that they once had.

It could save you more than a few minutes, the prescreening policy could save your life.

Actually, the pre-screening process should not allow the person to board the plane to Thailand, I believe.

Last time I came through Swampy, any people who had not filled in their arrival cars (properly) were moved aside to let the other people through. That and the snake systems seems to be more efficient.

I would like to think that it will happen, but my true thoughts are that its just more talk and next week it will be forgoten like pretty much all the MUST DO things that come from Thai management and above.

Oh, Oooh, prepare for longer cues and longer waiting times times 100 folds, folks...

I thought Billiards and Snooker had a fairly standard length?

From 2015 onward Thailand will become the leper colony of S.E. Asia - everyone will bypass the country and visit the others. This country is heading one way only and that is further down. The English language is not going to curb the arrogance, it's just going to make it worse. Respect is a two way street and something to be earned not demanded.

Airport is open! No reason to wait until 2015, you are free to leave NOW ! Bye, bye

I wonder what: whats your name? where you from? you like lady? is in all those languages, they sure have a lot to learn.

Getting a job in immigration here isn't so much skill related. One must have family connections or know someone in the Police or immigration. Even then Its an expensive job to buy into. Yes these jobs are sold sometimes for several million baht. Its not a case of going along and saying "I have perfect English and feel I would be good for the job" Oh no.

When Swampi opened I was living with Thai Police woman and paid for her entrance exams and courses. Before the 20,000+ applicants where going to get their results almost all of the 250 positions where filled behind closed doors. Many couldn't speak a word of English.

As with many aspects of Thai society and corporate hierarchy educated professional cannot get to the positions where they are needed. As a result complete incompetents end up in positions of authority.

These jobs are handed down through the old boys network.

I will be glad to pass your post on to my many friends in immigration. In fact I will be sure to do this tomorrow as I have to go anyway.

Thanks for your deep insight into the workings of the Thai Immigration.

Ho -ho ...they will all speak fluent English etc etc , because they will have attended the 30 min lecture ! Just like they can obviously drive competently because they have ( one way or another) passed the driving test ! My local Immigration officer always greets me with the opening gambit of "how much tip you give me "? He is always confused when I reply ... ' No, it should be.... "how much will you tip me ,just for doing my job " ....

English would be the worldwide language of communication.

Some countries might generally have a lower knowledge of english than others.

Having an interpreter for major languages might be more efficient than trying to get immigration officers able to converse in Mandarin or Russian for that matter.

Each and every one of our superbly-trained staff speaks English = gain face

Our clods are too stupid to learn English and so we need to have bright smart interpreters to speak for them = lose face.

Edited October 30, 201213 yr by robsamui