Fingerprint scans to debut at Thai Immigration to catch known criminals

[MantisMan]

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.

You people have had it too spoiled here.

You people complain too much about the type of quality "tourist" that enter here and yet when the gov tries to do something about it, you complain.

Now it's time to join the rest of the world.

Like the article says, they do it in Japan and it works and no, does not take that much longer to get through the line.

Edited May 15, 2014 by MantisMan

[Jonmarleesco]

342 million baht? Fingerprint scamming is much more likely. And with a predicted lengthening of immigration queues, perhaps they can start now, by improving the current system - or rather its practitioners approach to it - which often seems determined to frustrate visitors to the extent they might not bother to return to test the fingerprint technology.

As for the general's lack of concern over disease transmission, he obviously missed the intended point. No one cares about his or his staff's health - if he doesn't, why should anyone else. Nor do they care about the risk to the Thais of an epidemic, so long as they aren't here at the time - though perhaps the general should. But visitors do care about their own health, and if they can't trust the Thai authorities to take all necessary precautions, many tourists, at least, will simply not bother.

[Sena Dave]

The fingerprint takes seconds , may actually save a bit of time rather than them scanning your passport

[dotpoom]

"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."

That could be taken many ways....like ...."Who cars, it won't be me (the General) using it"...or "it's perfectly safe"

[diehard60]

Is Thaksin Shinawatra's prints on file ...

Who cares? Are yours????

[DrTuner]

I did a quick search, it's call AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identicitation System) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automated_fingerprint_identification

Quite a few companies such as 3M seem to offer systems. I assume the prints of "wanted" people would be uploaded to the airports system and a coarse match against these will be made in real time. Meaning you have to have left your fingerprints in Thailand somewhere and be wanted for something to get snagged, or by Interpol.

The prerequisite for bagging wanted crimis at airports is then that 1) Thais already have their prints from the entry 2) They are marked as wanted 3) Prints are scanned upon trying to exit the country.

[peterb17]

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.

South Korea

[Jonmarleesco]

Hopefully this will work and that all the illegals (working people) will be found out. I as a fully legal worker in the Kingdom, find it quite annoying

when coming across the illegal sort. Also, Russian mafia needs to be reduced, promptly.

You're in Thailand. It has many more homegrown mafia than foreign.

[momtaz]

Thailand is still considered as a safe paradise for many criminals, scam operations, murders and such types, I read dozen of cases to catch some old farangs hiding here in Thailand for many years, they killed or murdered in their countries and fled the here, guess many of your heard about it before,

by starting this, will help to minimize 1000s of them,

However, everyone who is living and working legally, will not be worried about whatsoever matter or how the procedure will be,

Edited May 15, 2014 by momtaz

[tigergrl]

they might catch a few petty criminals not wise enough to get around it.. but serious criminals

probably not.. they will find a way around it.. so millions of tourists will be inconvenienced for

no good reason.

[apalink_thailand]

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.

And we know where their fingers have been.

[Sena Dave]

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.[/quote

On a recent voyage by boat from Phuket to Langkawi, Malaysia in March, everyone aboard the boat had fingerprints scanned including our 6 year old daughter. We were told by Malaysian immigration that everyone entering Malaysia will go through this process as soon as the scanners are installed. Perhaps KL does not yet have enough scanners to start doing this. It is a very quick process and according to the Malaysian immigration offocer, this is all connected to the Malaysian Airlines incident.

They have them in Penang and Land border as well apparently

[trigger571]

Don't see what all the fuss is about really. I did a visa run last week through Dannok. Upon departure (not arrival for some odd reason) from the Malay border I got my finger prints scanned. Took a total of 2 seconds, so really, a queue might realistically get 5 minutes longer? A price well worth the wait if it means keeping any more criminals out of the kingdom. Here at TV we usually (rightly) moan about the authorities not doing their job, but now that at least they are talking about doing something TV members are criticizing them for that too. Come on guys.

[apalink_thailand]

Keep in mind that you need to have a file on record with Interpol (which most criminals do not) or in Thailand. This presumably includes being fingerprinted and charged with DUI. I know a few people that have been caught in the DUI net before and I wonder if they too will find themselves in trouble at Immigration due to this charge being on local record.

[phuketrichard]

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

Malaysia

[DrTuner]

Given the borders of Thailand aren't walled, it should be easy enough for criminals wanting to enter/exit Thailand simply to walk in/out. How good is then the security of the neighboring countries ?

[Bluespunk]

How much time would each scan take?

How many tourists would have to be scanned each day?

It could add a lot of time if not implemented and operated efficiently.

[Benmart]

Where may I go to be fingerprinted ? Glad to see this and thing they should use Facial or Eye Scanners. Whatever it takes to keep or maker Thailand a harder place from Drugs, Human Trafficing and Terrorist to transit. Only problem is they have no data base for Kenya, Nigeria maybe even Malaysia.

I think you get the idea, Jerry

Amazing I will say only one thing and please try to use you few remaining brain cells to understand it.

Once your privacy and liberties are taken YOU NEVER GET THEM BACK and that included the dipsticks that say I have nothing to hide wakeup

While it would be preferable not to be subjected to such inconveniences, I think this is a reasonable requirement. My other option is not to visit or live in Thailand, which I am free to do.

Criminals think nothing of violating my privacy and liberties when they do their dirty deeds. Those innocents that die as a result do not get their lives back either.

[wilcopops]

Seems to ignore the elephant in the room. You have a policy, you get the machinery........ But do you really expect to have the staff trained to work it?

[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 !

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

Sure it was then David ?

November 2007 it was introduced, did you go through Immigration at Narita, maybe they had problems with the system that day, or just looked at you and knew you were not a risk to National Security ......must have an honest face.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-BIS

Impressive Technology.

[wilcopops]

Where may I go to be fingerprinted ? Glad to see this and thing they should use Facial or Eye Scanners. Whatever it takes to keep or maker Thailand a harder place from Drugs, Human Trafficing and Terrorist to transit. Only problem is they have no data base for Kenya, Nigeria maybe even Malaysia.

I think you get the idea, Jerry

Amazing I will say only one thing and please try to use you few remaining brain cells to understand it.

Once your privacy and liberties are taken YOU NEVER GET THEM BACK and that included the dipsticks that say I have nothing to hide wakeup

While it would be preferable not to be subjected to such inconveniences, I think this is a reasonable requirement. My other option is not to visit or live in Thailand, which I am free to do.

Criminals think nothing of violating my privacy and liberties when they do their dirty deeds. Those innocents that die as a result do not get their lives back either.

Yes it will be fine until some half-trained idiot fails to operate the machine properly and you are locked up for a year until they untangle his mistake.

[neverdie]

Finger scanning is not the silliest idea they've ever had. They could put disinfectant wipes at the immigration counter to prevent spread of infectious issues... cheap n easy.

It will be even cheaper and easier to request people BYO wipes.

[Benmart]

Keep in mind that you need to have a file on record with Interpol (which most criminals do not) or in Thailand. This presumably includes being fingerprinted and charged with DUI. I know a few people that have been caught in the DUI net before and I wonder if they too will find themselves in trouble at Immigration due to this charge being on local record.

Not being an expert on the Interpol Database, I would venture to guess that DUI and other minor offenses would not be included. Interpol, after visiting their website, seems to be interested in people who have commited much more serious offenses, such as homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, etc.

[looping]

They've had fingerprint machines in Phnom Penh Airport for a few years now.

Well done Thailand, behind Cambodia, and apparently proud of it.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Krataiboy]

Sigh. Just imagine how awful the world must have been before we actually had passports and you just got on a boat and sailed to some distant shore where they had never heard of biometrics or border control or immigration, put down roots and settled or moved on.

"Progress" has a lot to answer for.

[aaacorp]

Hopefully this will work and that all the illegals (working people) will be found out. I as a fully legal worker in the Kingdom, find it quite annoying

when coming across the illegal sort. Also, Russian mafia needs to be reduced, promptly.

The funny part is that YOU had some trouble with visa and made visa runs last year....so stop bull..about the annoying visa runners...

Yep Internet is a b.tch and your post history is visible on TV

[DrTuner]

Keep in mind that you need to have a file on record with Interpol (which most criminals do not) or in Thailand. This presumably includes being fingerprinted and charged with DUI. I know a few people that have been caught in the DUI net before and I wonder if they too will find themselves in trouble at Immigration due to this charge being on local record.

Not being an expert on the Interpol Database, I would venture to guess that DUI and other minor offenses would not be included. Interpol, after visiting their website, seems to be interested in people who have commited much more serious offenses, such as homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, etc.

I once had my car stolen in Denmark while I was living in Germany. Interpol took it in as a case and they called me when they found the car. It's not only serious offences.

[chrisrazz]

Total waste of money and nothing more than an empire building attempt to get the money in the first place. Spruik up the problem first, plus pressure from OS, then grab that cash. Thai ID cards have biometric data. Fingerprint scans are taken when the Thai passport application is made, whether this is a check or is stored on a chip in the passport I'm not sure. Thailand should be applying pressure on the other countries to stop their criminals from leaving home. Home countries should apply the same passport standards that Thailand does, scan those that are leaving not those entering.

[ukrules]

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

Biometric scanners have been around for a very long time, longer than most people realise.

Some 25 years ago one of my Computer Science teachers who was probably in her mid 50's at the time told us about her father who used to have his palm scanned every day to gain entry to his workplace. Based on their ages this would have been as long ago as the 60/70's in the UK so it really is quite an old technology.

I have no idea what the old guy did for a living but he was some sort of scientist.

[bifftastic]

They already have fingerprint scanners in the Amphur offices. They are checked against the ID cards. When my wife got a new ID card, her fingerprints were taken and when she had finished, they were double checked on the scanners at the desks.

Also, she was required to give her fingerprints for her UK visas. There are scanners at Heathrow, presumably to check her identity, but when we travelled through together, the IO was asking her quite a few questions that appeared to be ID related (what's your name, where were you born, what's your DOB etc.etc.) at no point was she asked to have her fingerprints scanned. I did ask, if you want to check she's the same person who applied for the visa, why don't you scan her fingerprints? After all, she did have to queue up for two and a half hours at the VFS visa centre to have them recorded.

Blank stare from the IO. Long queues got longer as the technology they insist on having wasn't used.

So far, a total of three entries to the UK and she has yet to be asked for a fingerprint check.