Fingerprint scans to debut at Thai Immigration to catch known criminals

[webfact]

Fingerprint scans to debut at Immigration to catch known criminals
Phuket Gazette


Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed that the new finger scanners will be used to catch criminals already known to Thai authorities or Interpol. Photo: Supplied

PHUKET: -- Thai Immigration aims to begin scanning fingerprints of all foreigners arriving in the Kingdom by the end of the year under a project costing 342 million baht.

“The budget has yet to be approved, but we hope to introduce fingerprint-scanning machines by the end of 2014,” Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

The scanners, to be introduced at every immigration entry point in the country, are part of the bureau’s effort to prevent foreign criminals from entering Thailand, Lt Gen Pharnu explained.

Fingerprint scanners were chosen over biometric passport scanners as they are better able to identify criminals who have officially changed their names and have passports under their new identities, Gen Pharnu said.

“We are aware that some of our target groups, such as Russians and South Koreans, are issued biometric passports,” he explained. “But biometric passport scanners would not catch people travelling with new documents or those using fake passports.

“You can change your name or your appearance, but you can’t change your fingerprints.”

The general recognized that scanning fingerprints would not flag any inbound foreigners unless they had a criminal record in Thailand or were wanted by Interpol.

“But at least we will have a better system for collecting information on which foreigners enter Thailand, how often they enter and when,” he said.

"Immigration queues will get longer, but this needs to be done. They already do it in other countries, such as Japan.”

The scanners will force thousands of people to touch the same device. When asked about the possibility of transmitting diseases – such as MERS – the general said he was not worried.

“So many other countries use fingerprinting. We are not worried about disease transmission. As I said, it is something that needs to be done for the benefit of the whole country.”

The general’s announcement is in addition to a new policy to restrict foreigners from working in Thailand while on visa-exempt status.

— Chutharat Plerin

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Fingerprint-scans-debut-Immigration-catch-known-criminals/29444


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-05-15

[Thai at Heart]

God knows what the real tourism figures will be after they finish their crackdown. Every single tourist?

Damn that will take a while to process. Standing behind a queue of Chinese arrivals is going to be even more joyous.

[David48]

WOW ... all I hope is that they don't buy from the same guy who sold them the Bomb/Metal Detectors!

[David48]

Is Thaksin Shinawatra's prints on file ...

[jpinx]

If you've been through LA as a non-USA passport holder you'll get some idea of what it's going to be like. Thailand is generally a very easy place in terms of getting through the international airport. Even Heathrow is harder

P.S. -- I'll happily stand in a queue if it keeps the foreign thugs out -- there's enough home-grown ones

[Showbags]

I am sure they will be up to the usual high standard of every other high tech facility purchased and operated by this country.

[Thai at Heart]

Where else in the region do they fingerprint tourist arrivals like this?

Presumably going to be checked against biometrics?

Do they even have automated readers yet? Doesn't Somchai still key the data in by hand. At least, once its done the whole system will be automated and less open to abuse.

They might even catch a few Thai criminals . kamnan po only hung out in his own house for 10 years. I am sure the other major criminals will just get caught at a border post.

[marko kok prong]

Maybe if they fully staffed the immigration booths it would help,last time i came from Australia to Bangkok there was a long row of booth but only two were staffed,also this could cause a very long wait at Phuket as it is quite a small airport.

[thesetat2013]

There will be a lot of teaching jobs open with all the new immigration rules. The number of illegal foriegners without the correct visa is enormous. I know personally of many who do visa runs bi weekly to stay and teach in thailand. This fingerprinting may also reduce some of the russian mafia that is here. Getting into thailand may become harder and stricter for tourists but staying here will be harder

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[terryp]

i find this totally ridiculous, the serious problems INSIDE Thailand for example illegal weapons etc, the daily murder rate is horrific with lunatics with handguns..... but they want to spend almost half a billion baht on scanners that basically will be another giant waste of money as most people under the radar are just that UNDER THE RADAR..or know how to be

[pmugghc]

Where else in the region do they fingerprint tourist arrivals like this?

Presumably going to be checked against biometrics?

Do they even have automated readers yet? Doesn't Somchai still key the data in by hand. At least, once its done the whole system will be automated and less open to abuse.

They might even catch a few Thai criminals . kamnan po only hung out in his own house for 10 years. I am sure the other major criminals will just get caught at a border post.

Cambodia and Malaysia at least.

[15Peter20]

If they're waiting for an empowered government to approve the budget I should think getting it all up and running by the end of this year is a tad optimistic.

[Banzai99]

They have been fingerprint scanning at Tokyo Narita Airport since 2007.

Doesn't really add that much time, but then again, Thailand isn't as efficient as Japan.

So it will probably add hours !

[Thai at Heart]

Where else in the region do they fingerprint tourist arrivals like this?

Presumably going to be checked against biometrics?

Do they even have automated readers yet? Doesn't Somchai still key the data in by hand. At least, once its done the whole system will be automated and less open to abuse.

They might even catch a few Thai criminals . kamnan po only hung out in his own house for 10 years. I am sure the other major criminals will just get caught at a border post.

Cambodia and Malaysia at least.

Do they fingerprint in Malaysia? All arrivals?

I don't remember that.

[pmugghc]

Where else in the region do they fingerprint tourist arrivals like this?

Presumably going to be checked against biometrics?

Do they even have automated readers yet? Doesn't Somchai still key the data in by hand. At least, once its done the whole system will be automated and less open to abuse.

They might even catch a few Thai criminals . kamnan po only hung out in his own house for 10 years. I am sure the other major criminals will just get caught at a border post.

Cambodia and Malaysia at least.

Do they fingerprint in Malaysia? All arrivals?

I don't remember that.

Not all, but it seems they do some as has been reported.

[winstonc]

There will be a lot of teaching jobs open with all the new immigration rules. The number of illegal foriegners without the correct visa is enormous. I know personally of many who do visa runs bi weekly to stay and teach in thailand. This fingerprinting may also reduce some of the russian mafia that is here. Getting into thailand may become harder and stricter for tourists but staying here will be harder

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

surely a work permit stops all that hassle....or are they undesirable people..

[David48]

They have been fingerprint scanning at Tokyo Narita Airport since 2007.

Doesn't really add that much time, but then again, Thailand isn't as efficient as Japan.

So it will probably add hours !

I went through there maybe 4 or 5 years ago, so 2009/10 ... I never got fingerprinted ...

[David48]

Do they fingerprint in Malaysia? All arrivals?

I don't remember that.

Nope ... when through the LCCC at KL 2 weeks ago.

[RubbaJohnny]

God knows what the real tourism figures will be after they finish their crackdown. Every single tourist?

Damn that will take a while to process. Standing behind a queue of Chinese arrivals is going to be even more joyous.

Frustratin I know,but they've had in KL for a while,not departueres alas (MH7310 !)

Howvere once you've been through once your dabs are on the database,not sure if expires when your passport does.They ve been around years in hi tech companys we had in offices Finland years ago

[Cnxforever]

What do they need fingerprints for ?

Many of the criminals are known to the police already or even have a very lucrative "business" relationship with them!

(See boiler room boys, prostitution, drugs...)

I rather guess that one of the fingerprint scanners which costs about 80-100 $ US will have a hefty price tag of 2000 $ or more in Thailand nice opportunity to fill somebodies pockets!

[Thai at Heart]

Do they fingerprint in Malaysia? All arrivals?

I don't remember that.

Nope ... when through the LCCC at KL 2 weeks ago.

That's what I thought.

So basically no one fingerprints this many people in the region. 24mn tourist visitors.

Good luck.

[clockman]

Retina scan is better, These can be fooled.

[chainarong]

Imagine Mr and Mrs average with the ankle bitters in tow ,after a twelve hour trip, standing in line to be finger printed and the signs say, Welcome To Thailand the Land of Smiles. What a introduction to Thailand . I rest my case.

[JeremyBowskill]

“You can change your name or your appearance, but you can’t change your fingerprints.”

Come here with an angle grinder and I will prove you wrong!

[Som wat]

Priorities.

Scan all the tourists before they get in a minivan or taxi being insanely driven by a drug buzzing psycho.

[Cnxforever]

Do they fingerprint in Malaysia? All arrivals?

I don't remember that.

Nope ... when through the LCCC at KL 2 weeks ago.

Yes they do KL, Penang - just can't find anything if your prints are not in the database !

Also the bigger the database gets with innocent peoples prints stored there the longer the screening process will take!

Ask a forensic policeman how long it takes to run a fingerprint through a national database of known criminals alone.

The immigration boss is just upset because he became a national embarrassment after MH370 it was discovered that there was apparently a lucrative business going for some people in Thailand facilitating human trafficking into the EU for some time!

"Mr. Ali" was apparently well known and has arranged flights for illegal immigrants for some time in Pattaya.

Since both the passports where stolen in Thailand they must have been in the immigration database because the Italian and Austrian entered Thailand on these passports and had their picture taken when entering the country.

Fingerprint scanners are useless if the person who scans is corrupt and payed off!

[jaltsc]

"...part of the bureau’s effort to prevent foreign criminals from entering Thailand..."

I suppose they couldn't get work permits since they would be taking jobs away from all the home grown criminals. It's just an effort by government officials to protect their own interests.

[hgma]

Whatever......money makes the world go round.

How about a new to be invented "liner pistol" a copy of the explosives tracker, but in the liners case picks out the criminals whom waiting in long lines trying to get into Thailand.

T.I.T

next please!

[wellred]

I don't see what all the fuss is about. If you have nothing to hide then why worry? Ok it may add a bit of extra time when your entering the kingdom but so what?

I guess if one is in a rush then they can always purchase one of the fast track options.

[Bluespunk]

"The budget has yet to be approved, but we hope to introduce fingerprint-scanning machines by the end of 2014,” Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday."

This sentence alone probably means it won't happen, but if it does, are they scanning Thais as well?

If not, why not? Most of the criminal element in Thailand are Thai and more likely to have their prints in a national data base.