Immigration procedures toughened following Ratchaprasong bombing

[webfact]

Immigration procedures toughened following Ratchaprasong bombing

BANGKOK, 31 August 2015 (NNT) - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has admitted that Thailand needs to be more thorough regarding immigration security.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has urged the public to wait for official statements before making any assumptions. His comments came after the arrest of a foreign suspect believed to have been involved in Ratchaprasong blast.

The MFA will also increase its border and airport security. People entering and leaving the country will be checked by immigration officials more rigorously from now on.

The Foreign Minister called for more immigration staff to track down foreigners who might have overstayed their visas and deal with those staying in Thailand.

Mr. Don added that everyone must work side by side to regain the confidence of the global community regarding the safety of foreign travelers.

-- NNT 2015-08-31

[lildragon]

True, but if they go the way they did when the coup first happened by going completely over board and heavy handed in enforcement of visa laws with EVERYONE then this will also have a negative effect.

[fritzzz25]

So, the passport stamper might speak to me and ask my name? Or say "hello"? They couldn't do any less at their jobs than they presently do!

[Laughing Gravy]

Another knee jerk reaction. Some advice. Look at the evidence, take some time about implementing new procedures. Look at the positives and negatives and then train those involve, giving enough time for tourists and foreigners to adapt to the new rules.

I have a feeling all this will be ignored and some simpleton method will be rushed in by next Monday.

[Ricardo]

One hopes that this will not merely be a crackdown, on the many ordinary law-abiding foreigners, who live here legally within-the-rules or visit as tourists.

Perhaps Immigration-computers might check with other countries' systems, whether passports being shown at the Thai borders, are legal or are counterfeit ?

[Pimay1]

The 90 day reporting immigration website is not working now. I wonder if that has anything to do with the latest plan of action?

[hgma]

People move in and out of the country and sometimes without notice.

Cars trunks are never checked unless a tippoff is made, the car inhabitants passports handed over and on change the officer of duty wants to see faces.

Busses go up and down bridges but never checked of they are empty ensofort ensofort

Like in every country hospitality comes with a price.

[clockman]

Criminals having living been living here. For decades! One must ask the government, why?

[h90]

Know people who live here 20 year overstay....they won't catch them, but people who want to make everything right will get a problem

[Thailand]

The 90 day reporting immigration website is not working now. I wonder if that has anything to do with the latest plan of action?

Just checked, seems to be working.

[webfact]

Foreign minister suggests tightening up of immigration system



BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Don Paramavinai stressed the need for the immigration system to tightened up in light of an incident of a foreigner who owns a dozen of fake passports and who was thought to have entered the country with a fake passport.

He said that authorities concerned should examine the entire immigration system to find out if there are any loopholes which need to be plugged. He emphasized the need for the tightening of screening process for incoming visitors or tourists even from countries which do not need visas for visiting Thailand.

The minister also urged members of the public to be on the alert and to report to the police if they came across any suspicious foreigners.

In the aftermath of the deadly bombing at Ratchaprasong which killed 22 people and injured over 100 others, the minister said that all parties concerned must work hard to restore foreign tourists’ confidence in Thailand.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/foreign-minister-suggests-tightening-up-of-immigration-system


-- Thai PBS 2015-08-31

[webfact]

Don says screening of foreign visitors must be stricter
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said Monday that immigration officers will have to screen visiting foreigners more strictly following bomb attacks in Bangkok by foreigners.

Don said the arrested suspect has been living in Thailang long before the attacks.

Don said the Foreign Ministry will consider which possible loopholes are that may allow the attackers to enter the country.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Don-says-screening-of-foreign-visitors-must-be-str-30267806.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-31

[terryp]

the thais involved dont count....as they were forced into the act by wicked forigners

Old idiots like this make me sick they live in a bubble and have no real idea what forigners have to go thro to live here...many who have the NON O-A have to get a yearly police cert from their home countrys.....does this guy even know about the NEW system being installed at ALL the THAI international airports that link into the Interpol database ..that we all will have to pay an air ticket surcharge to have our personal data checked

thailand needs to wake up and fast ....immigration all over the world is changing , just take a look at the US and the EU its a nightmare....thailand has been off the radar now its fully on it ...Bali thought the same years ago

[zaphod reborn]

How about just following up when there are media reports of rampant human smuggling and issuance of thousands of fake passports?

9 April 2015: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were given more than 100,000 fake Turkish passports in order to travel to Turkey and then enter Syria to join ISIL, a daily reported on Thursday. According to a story in the Meydan daily, A.G., an aide of Nurali T., a Uyghur Turk working for ISIL to provide militants with passports worldwide, Nurali T.’s office in İstanbul’s Zeytinburnu district functions as an ISIL passport office. Each passport was sold for $200, A.G. told Meydan.

More than 50,000 Uyghur Turks came to Turkey with these fake passports from China via Thailand and Malaysia and entered Syria after staying a day in İstanbul, Meydan reported. A.G. claimed that most of the Uyghurs with fake passports were caught by police in Turkish airports but they were released in Turkey after their passports were seized. “The Uyghurs’ release in Turkey is due to a secret [little-known] Turkish law on Uyghur Turks. More than 50,000 Uyghurs joined ISIL through this method,” A.G. added.

A.G. further said that Nurali T. organizes recruits from around the world from his İstanbul office. Militants who entered Turkey with these fake passports are hosted either in hotels or guesthouses for a day before they join ISIL in Syria, A.G. said. http://www.gagrule.net/report-more-than-100000-fake-turkish-passports-given-to-isil/

Edited August 31, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[Pomthai]

How about just following up when there are media reports of rampant human smuggling and issuance of thousands of fake passports?

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants were given more than 100,000 fake Turkish passports in order to travel to Turkey and then enter Syria to join ISIL, a daily reported on Thursday. According to a story in the Meydan daily, A.G., an aide of Nurali T., a Uyghur Turk working for ISIL to provide militants with passports worldwide, Nurali T.’s office in İstanbul’s Zeytinburnu district functions as an ISIL passport office. Each passport was sold for $200, A.G. told Meydan.

More than 50,000 Uyghur Turks came to Turkey with these fake passports from China via Thailand and Malaysia and entered Syria after staying a day in İstanbul, Meydan reported. A.G. claimed that most of the Uyghurs with fake passports were caught by police in Turkish airports but they were released in Turkey after their passports were seized. “The Uyghurs’ release in Turkey is due to a secret [little-known] Turkish law on Uyghur Turks. More than 50,000 Uyghurs joined ISIL through this method,” A.G. added.

A.G. further said that Nurali T. organizes recruits from around the world from his İstanbul office. Militants who entered Turkey with these fake passports are hosted either in hotels or guesthouses for a day before they join ISIL in Syria, A.G. said. http://www.gagrule.net/report-more-than-100000-fake-turkish-passports-given-to-isil/

Because that would involve using logic and reason. Neither of which are demonstrated very often here.

[daveAustin]

I agree, the country is full of scum (local and foreign stock) and it is far too easy for miscreants to get in. But that is the nature of the place, it attracts them like no other. Very easy to just fly in as a tourist and although going through the extension/report malarkey is a major pain for legitimate folks, just think yourselves lucky it is relatively easy to stay long term compared with other countries. You could all be out on your ear!

[Ulic]

Words, words, words, words, words.

[laocowboy2]

One hopes that this will not merely be a crackdown, on the many ordinary law-abiding foreigners, who live here legally within-the-rules or visit as tourists.

Perhaps Immigration-computers might check with other countries' systems, whether passports being shown at the Thai borders, are legal or are counterfeit ?

Nice idea - but real time links between the various systems do not exist. And even if they did, the added time for each entrant would cause mayhem, especially when you remember that every system tends to be in the national language..

[lemonjelly]

how about just training hotel workers/accomodation leasers to recognise obviously forged passports?

[lildragon]

Know people who live here 20 year overstay....they won't catch them, but people who want to make everything right will get a problem

My god, I am agreeing with h90!

I too know some absolute wasters that are here and have even been caught by the cops a few times only to bribe their way out.

[chilli42]

It's time for the finger print scanners at all entry points. They need to bring technology to the party if they expect to see improvements. More questions to dark skinned people will not help.

[glaswegian]

"The MFA will also increase its border and airport security."

saunds guid to ear!!! but what about those who make money on the khaosen road, selling fake degrees, documents,driving licences?

[Pimay1]

The 90 day reporting immigration website is not working now. I wonder if that has anything to do with the latest plan of action?

Just checked, seems to be working.

Right you are. I just finished reporting online. After I posted the above I called 1111 and reported it not working. The guy said they would see about it. The first page of the form was working but it wouldn't go to the second page. Nice work immigration IT department.

[ratcatcher]

Criminals having living been living here. For decades! One must ask the government, why?

Most of the criminals you mention are entitled to live here, being Thais. However many of the lads blending into the general expat population in seaside resorts around the kingdom have a less than savory past. If they can beat the system, the system needs to be updated.

[Thai at Heart]

If they were trafficked, u reckon they went through immigration?

[Kannikapor88]

So I reckon that we will all see even more harassment from CM Immigration ...

[petedk]

The minister also urged members of the public to be on the alert and to report to the police if they came across any suspicious foreigners.

I think foreigners should be on the alert and report any suspicious looking Thais.

Why only suspicious foreigners?

[Benmart]

So, the passport stamper might speak to me and ask my name? Or say "hello"? They couldn't do any less at their jobs than they presently do!

"Passport stampers" are but one part of a much larger system of the immigration departments of countries world-wide. I would never presume to know more than anyone else when it concerns the rank and file employee of any agency, other than voicing my limited, personal experience.

If I worked or had worked for a particular agency, or had detailed information about the inner workings of that agency, then perhaps I would be so bold as to comment further.

[wabothai]

Madame TAT, if still around, won't like it.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Does this mean they won't be accepting patently false passports anymore???

A lot of local low-lifes are really going to be gutted by that...