Flyers to face B35 fee for airport background check

[Micbozy]

Less work means more costs?

[docshock13]

After receiving their APPS, visitors can proceed to the next counter to receive their TITS (traveller identification/tracking system bracelets) from TAT, Minister Kobkarn said.

[simple1]

The proposed system sounds very much like SITA's iBorders system that has been implemented in a number of countries. Australia had suggested the system to Thailand some years back for increased border security.

If anyone's interested a high level overview is at:

http://www.sita.aero/solutions-and-services/solutions/iborders-border-management

[Benmart]

After the public outcry, perhaps this too will be "withdrawn, reconsidered or studied further" as so many new laws, rules, edicts, etc., have been lately.

[Muirton]

Pie in the sky stupidity, can you just imagine having to log onto each countries system (assuming on exists and Thailand is given access) for each arriving visitor and then waiting for connection and eventual data being transmitted and then waiting for the official to read the various languages from the multitude of countries data and then after translating the data followed by an intelligent assessment of this data to either allow or reject each passenger - sounds like an April fools joke in August.

Don't you just love the clowns in supposedly responsible positions trying to move this country forward into the next century.

Which one? The 18th or 19th century?

Love your question. Since the LOS has been stuck for years at July 13, 1789, your question does have an answer.

[KuhnPaen]

Brave new world, 1984? Really?

You don't think having a background check is important to weed out the ATM scammers, kiddy fiddlers, bank robbers on the lam?

I thought something like this was already in place and assumed they did a background of some kind--but I guess not.

This isn't Big Brother listening in on your phone calls and emails.

[Usernames]

I can understand the charge and background check on arriving passengers .....but why on departing passengers.

Oh , now I realise ...................to prevent all those Thais who are on parole awaiting a court appearance from " doing a runner ".

As for those here complaining , how long have all the TVF whingers been complaining about the " foreign" lowlife scum that seem to appear in the pages of the Pattaya and Phuket newspapers( & forums) all the time..............and then go on to say how Thailand would be better off without them . Surely, this move "should" help stop them from arriving in the first place.

Thats gotta be a good thing.

As for comments about " privacy: issues ........................dont all foreigners travelling to the states have to apply on line for a " permission to travel" clearance prior to travelling to the states. This is no different.

Seems to me , this is an attempt to keep the lowlife scum and wanted criminals out of Thailand in the first place.

Of course , how this will work with land borders is beyond my understanding.

Took 78 posts before someone used his head before replying, instead of the <deleted> the other members use.

This system should have been introduced 10 years ago, then there would be much less pedofile English teachers around.

I agree. They need to keep the trash and the criminals out of the country. But I do wonder how effective and accurate it will be. But it may be worth the try to clean up some of the garbage infesting the country.

[Alex Sharp]

5 million passengers in and out of Thailand from mainland China.......sounds like a lot of fun carrying out all those background checks.

Prior to moving to Thailand I lived and worked in Shanghai for 9 years. The criminal background report required by the Thai authorities

took just on a month to get from the Chinese authorities......as said, this going to be a lot of fun.

[mihalis]

Why is it Pathetic ??

Pathetic

[Baerboxer]

I can understand the charge and background check on arriving passengers .....but why on departing passengers.

Oh , now I realise ...................to prevent all those Thais who are on parole awaiting a court appearance from " doing a runner ".

As for those here complaining , how long have all the TVF whingers been complaining about the " foreign" lowlife scum that seem to appear in the pages of the Pattaya and Phuket newspapers( & forums) all the time..............and then go on to say how Thailand would be better off without them . Surely, this move "should" help stop them from arriving in the first place.

Thats gotta be a good thing.

As for comments about " privacy: issues ........................dont all foreigners travelling to the states have to apply on line for a " permission to travel" clearance prior to travelling to the states. This is no different.

Seems to me , this is an attempt to keep the lowlife scum and wanted criminals out of Thailand in the first place.

Of course , how this will work with land borders is beyond my understanding.

Took 78 posts before someone used his head before replying, instead of the <deleted> the other members use.

This system should have been introduced 10 years ago, then there would be much less pedofile English teachers around.

And the professionalism of the RTP officers will ensure they use such a system to its full capacity.

I think the pedophiles and other perverts entering Thailand, along with assorted con artists, scam artists, drug dealers, biker gang members and gangsters use many ports of embarkation and relatively few work as English teachers.

Getting people to actually do their jobs should have been introduced a long time ago, but hasn't. Neither has the concept of training or supervision. Why do the want to charge 35 baht for this? Will we be asked to contribute to a new scanner fund, runway repair fund and safety fund next?

You can believe the PR of you wish. I prefer the reality - whatever system they won't use it properly or consistently; and the money will vanish with no accountability.

[docshock13]

I can understand the charge and background check on arriving passengers .....but why on departing passengers.

Oh , now I realise ...................to prevent all those Thais who are on parole awaiting a court appearance from " doing a runner ".

As for those here complaining , how long have all the TVF whingers been complaining about the " foreign" lowlife scum that seem to appear in the pages of the Pattaya and Phuket newspapers( & forums) all the time..............and then go on to say how Thailand would be better off without them . Surely, this move "should" help stop them from arriving in the first place.

Thats gotta be a good thing.

As for comments about " privacy: issues ........................dont all foreigners travelling to the states have to apply on line for a " permission to travel" clearance prior to travelling to the states. This is no different.

Seems to me , this is an attempt to keep the lowlife scum and wanted criminals out of Thailand in the first place.

Of course , how this will work with land borders is beyond my understanding.

Took 78 posts before someone used his head before replying, instead of the <deleted> the other members use.

This system should have been introduced 10 years ago, then there would be much less pedofile English teachers around.

I agree. They need to keep the trash and the criminals out of the country. But I do wonder how effective and accurate it will be. But it may be worth the try to clean up some of the garbage infesting the country.

Agreed. Agreed and agreed. But keep in mind the really clever scumbags who were never caught, tried and convicted will still get through. Those are the ones to worry about.

On another note, I know a few teachers and as far as what they told me Min of Ed made CRCs with "vulnerable sector" search (i.e. children, elderly, physically and/or mentally incapacitated) mandatory to keep Thai teaching license some years back (I think after the Mr. Swirl incident). Maybe that's out the window now. Who knows. But the real nasties always seem to have a way of keeping on step ahead of the law.

[novo58]

Dont any of you TVF members think before writing comments.

These are NOT criminal record checks.

The system is ALREADY in place in most western countries.

The airline provides passenger info >>>>( name, age , nationality , passport number)..............to officials in destination country.

The destination officials can do a pre-arrival check to see if any passengers raise any type of "red flag".

This might include check with interpol, local police warrants etc.

cross checks might highlite unusual travel patterns...that could possibly indicate drug associations.

MOST travellers will not notice any difference at all.

The cost will be included in price of airfare, and the procedure at immigration will be no different unless you are flagged for some reason.

[kannot]

Oh bugger , guess I wont be able to carry my handgun on then??

[trainman34014]

You can bet your life this will be another three sheets of paper job and at least two rubber stamps....which they are obsessed with.

All in all; this is just another way of extracting more dosh from Farang and at the same time creating jobs for more Brothers. Sisters, Uncles. Great Aunties, Family Hampsters and so on. Dreamed up by the finest 'brains ' in the Kingdom no doubt.

[KIWIBATCH]

doesn't this information show up when a passport is scanned anyway?

Exactly right....that is if Thailand has the "systems" in place (Which they obviously have not hence this new system).....so now they will impose a 35b fee....and get you form yet another queue,,,,

So exactly how are the AOT going to "background check" you...when they are obviously not in the "link" with other countries???..as I mentioned above...

This is a joke...absolutely ridiculous.....

They can't even perform carry on baggage checks without making a huge hash of it...and disbanding the idea

[allan michaud]

I think it's about making money 70 bart each 35 bart in 35 bart out times visitors per year mega millions

How many international visitors? 20mill? that's very serious money.

[tonypace02]

I wonder how Thailand would respond to the same request from other countries for information on it's citizens...and how accurate that information would actually be?

Half the Government would not be admitted into any countries.

Seems like a dumb idea to me...but fairly typical for Thailand.

If the BKK Chief of Police, Pol.Lt.Gen. Sriwarah Rangsipramkul, were to travel, he would insist that all security people get a photograph of him to memorize so his passage would not be interfered with, if he has not done it already.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Welcome to Thailand Sir... That will be 35 baht to enter the kingdom. I have dollar. In that case Sir it will be $2. To hell you say,thats skyway robbery! Sorry Sir, but now it is $3. $1 frown fine. Sir, this is The Land Of Smile and even when we bend you over you should continue to smile.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

35 baht? They just killed the jai dee farang.

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

There is going to be many tip boxes with cobwebs cover the slots...

[rubyjuan]

What a shit storm, this will be.

[konying]

Will the system have automatic google translate incorporated ?

Only ask because I am yet to meet immigration officer at the desk who spoke fluent enough English to understand full profile, let alone Chinese , Japanese , German , French etc.

Unless AOT forgot that profiles would be in the language of the country person coming from.

But then again, may be system is only connected to Interpol so only those wanted by Interpol would be caught

[ROGER DUNN]

Another way to discourage people to visit the land of scams

[nij68]

So to sum this all up , it's mainly to catch crims who may have arrests warrants which would red flag when their passport is scanned. I thought this was already in place?

So say you have an old criminal conviction , that is not stored on your passport(uk) does that mean you will be stopped too?

Or like I said before it is mainly for those who are on the run or evading bail conditions..

so the current system they have don't even pick up any red flags input via Interpol?

Edited August 3, 2015 by nij68

[Rumblecat]

Another way to discourage people to visit the land of scams

Really? 35 baht is all it takes to discourage people..?

That's a bargain.

[fgmr]

If you have nothing to worry about and this makes checking in quicker then I am all for this system. But why the extra charge? This should be part of normal Security Checks.

Flyers to face B35 fee for airport background check
By Coconuts


Photo: Lurson Nateepitak

BANGKOK: -- Starting on Dec. 1, air passengers for international flights will have to pay an extra fee of THB35 to cover the cost of the new passenger background check system.

The shiny, new Advance Passenger Processing System (APPS) is expected to launch at six international airports in Thailand to maximize airport security.

The new system will screen each passenger to check if they are blacklisted from Thailand or banned from flying.
The APPS will allow Thai officials to perform background checks from the passengers country of origin.

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2015/08/03/flyers-face-b35-fee-airport-background-check


-- Coconuts Bangkok 2015-08-03

[kimamey]

I can't see how a country such as the UK would want to share information with Thailand, especially with the debacle over the Koh Tao investigations being blocked and not transparent.

They British would not have appreciated they way they were treated or called it inter agency cooperation.

You also have a military installed here that overthrew a democratic government, that would raise issues as well about information sharing and finally Thailand's human rights issues and well documented corruption.

Doesn't it also throw up loads of human rights issue regards sharing peoples past lives and things such as spent convictions in Europe and how fanatical the EU is on human rights????

I can't see it working to be honest. Christ, the queues can get bad enough at airports now. Look at the recent nonsense caused by security increased checks at Don Muang!!!

Also, people could fly into a neighboring country and cross at a land post, seems weird to me. or simply, go through an airport at Krabi, yes or no?

I don't suppose it matters. If they don't get the information they just get the money. It's not much but it all adds up.

[alanrchase]

...don't they take in enough tourist dollars......it is their job to begin with...and all computerized......so to pretend this is something new...that tourists have to pay for....is incongruent to say the least(something wrong with the spelling???)

Where else is different in the world Oh Holy poster? .....

Is that how to post

..................

Have I got it right

..................?

[nij68]

please NOTE: it states this system will check for people who are Blacklisted from Thailand or banned from flying.

So what did the system they use now check for? nothing?

Starting on Dec. 1, air passengers for international flights will have to pay an extra fee of THB35 to cover the cost of the new passenger background check system.

The shiny, new Advance Passenger Processing System (APPS) is expected to launch at six international airports in Thailand to maximize airport security.

The new system will screen each passenger to check if they are blacklisted from Thailand or banned from flying.

The APPS will allow Thai officials to perform background checks from the passengers’ country of origin.

The six international airports are Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Songkhla, and Mae Fa Luang in Chiang Rai.

The THB35 fee will be included in the price of the airline ticket.

Airport Security of Thailand plans to hold talks with airlines to find a solution for people who have already bought a ticket but not paid the THB35, according to Airport Security of Thailand chairman Nitinai Sirismatthakarn.

Meanwhile, the Airline Operations Committee said it would be impossible to collect the fee from passengers who have already purchased their tickets as collecting THB35 from each person when they check-in would lead to other difficulties..

Airlines are looking to postpone the fee collection until March, Bangkok Post reported.

[BwindiBoy]

Why is it Pathetic ??

Pathetic

Because it's just another opportunity to grab some money from tourists. Why charge people leaving the country? If B35 enables them to truly check everyone, I'm a Dutchman! The idea of reducing the number of low life, criminal scum is noble and would be great for Thailand, but that will not happen; it's a money grab and nothing more.