Specialist teams to scrutinise passports at airport immigration

[Caveat Emptor]

They never think before they speak do they so another case of foot in mouth disease as we have just been told the officers sitting on the desks are ' not fit for purpose ' and are to be replaced by specialists !

[Jonmarleesco]

What apparently noone of the ever so active with posting TV-users seems to know, nor likely even Thai immi:

such a system already exists-since around 2000, a giant database with all kinds of real and forged passports, developed (ooch-ouch another sigh for the insular Brits) by the asssorted Schengen countries in Europe.in cooperation with the US. Plus that since that came into existence, forged passports are not that common anymore-more likely are people travelling/using other/stolen passports with very similar pictures. Hence that biometric fingerprinten etc as extra measure. This base also contains all nrs (reported) of stolen empty passport-books etc.

Insular Brits? You mean the same Brits who (inadvertently) stayed outside of the Euro (which isn't working), and outside of Schengen (which you might have heard ... isn't working). For that matter, the database isn't foolproof. If it were, we wouldn't be so concerned with terrorist sympathisers managing to slip into a country undetected. Or with finding those who already have.

[jpinx]

It looks like a way to enforce the requirements for exempt entry more diligently. The comment in there is "encourage people to get a visa.." speaks volumes. They want things like criminal record checks in home-country and responsibility for the embassies and consulates.

The op mentions Visa On Arrival and the VOA fee, not Visa Exempt (for which there is no fee). I have no idea what the actual numbers are, but my guess is that VOA entries are quite small compared to VE entries. (Visa On Arrival DOES involve the actual issuance of a visa, BTW. Visa Exempt does not.). This is 2016, not 1876. I would think an airport VOA facility could carry out the background check at the VOA level just as well as, and possibly better than, an overseas embassy or consulate or honorary consulate.

ACTUAL discussions involving Visa On Arrival (that is, discussions where members aren't confusing it with Visa Exempt) are relatively rare on TV. I don't know what issues there might be with it (denials, complications, out-of-the-blue doc reqts, etc.). So when something like this pops up, it would be nice if someone who actually has experience with it could comment. It sounds like another opportunistic thai "fee squeeze", but maybe there really are rising security issues WRT the VOA-list countries that require a more resource-intensive scrutiny.

It's mentioned that they are possibly increasing the VoA fee to match that of getting a visa in the home country, but no mention of any change to visa-exempt conditions.

[SoFarAndNear]

Strangely had the local town police come round today to look at my passport. Said they were looking for terrorists from Arab countries. He was compiling a list and from his list I could see he had already visited the other foreigner in the village. He took a photo of my passport and my photo. Feel sorry for anyone remotly Arab looking on the basis of this! Must have got my address from my landing card and immigration computer. If you are living in rural thailand expect a visit shortly from the bib.

Serious? They visited you? This feels like a bad bad bad thing is coming.....

[gemguy]

Although this latest development will result in some undesirables being scrutinized and screened and not allowed to enter the country I can assure you all too many innocent travelers will get caught up in the process and be unduly scrutinized and many will be refused entry.

It will be another prime example of good intentions run amuck.

Cheers

[LennyW]

I came through swampy again on Wednesday afternoon, they did seem to be taking longer than usual with the immigration although it was pretty quiet.

The guy in front of me was carrying a Laos passport and he got grilled by the immigration lady, he was communicating very well in Thai, but there seemed to be an issue with where he was intending to stay....he got taken away by another immigration officer, so looks like they are scrutinising somewhat!

[mark131v]

An elite team of passport scrutineers, forgive my ignorance but is that not exactly what passport and immigration does?

'In another move to beef up security and reduce congestion at airports and border crossings, Immigration are also doubling the Visa on Arrival fee to ฿2,000, according to Stickboy Bangkok.

Spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Keawkamnerd hopes that the increased fee will encourage tourists to apply for visas in advance of their arrival into Thailand, at their own embassies and consulates. This should enhance security as more rigorous checks can be undertaken this way, prior to foreigners even entering the country'

Ah another chance to squeeze more money out of it and use the old 'this will enhance as more rigorous checks can be undertaken' nice!! win win they get more money for doing nothing, classic!!

if the foreign "tourist" would get off their lazy butts and get a visa prior to arrival they would not have to pay at the "door" serves them right! if they can't afford two thousand baht than they should not be here!

Cant be bothered....

Edited January 22, 2016 by mark131v

[Jools]

"....They do not want you/us here. They never did, check the history, they never will."

Thainess....I do not know a single Thai who understands that I am here because I can live better. They ALL

think there is some sinister plot to take their jobs,even though the only jobs we can do (if we work) are the

jobs they CANNOT do.

[MaeJoMTB]

Insular Brits? You mean the same Brits who (inadvertently) stayed outside of the Euro (which isn't working), and outside of Schengen (which you might have heard ... isn't working).

GBP is down 25% against the Euro when it was introduced.

If Britain had joined the Euro, all us Brits would be 25% better off.

Britain joined the EEA which governs the right to live and work in EEA countries.

[MickRobbo]

"Specialist teams composed of professionals..." so we can take it as read that it is currently in the hands of complete amateurs then ?

The bottom line again is....unless you are coming here for two weeks already paid for to an "agency" then going home.

They do not want you/us here. They never did, check the history, they never will.

REALLY: (only government body in Thailand doing a 180): This is an interesting on going subject, I agree whole heartedly that those in immigration seem to hate westerners but fail to comprehend the facts, that if 'we' were't here they most probably would not have a job, which just shows the mentality along with the short sightedness of the ignorant human — all with in the lucrative little corrupt game known as immigration of Thailand. These people all make it well known and god forbid you make problems there (which I've been known to have created one or two) they'll attempt to make your life going in there problematic (as difficult as possible ) but all that accounts to is making you wait as long as possible = small things entertain small minds? They're still forced into doing their job eventually, who looses face? Its good having your spouse also working in the government after they worked that out (when she trains them) — keeps them sort of almost honest; they've been know to back track trying to save face. DO NOT GO THERE ALONE - I also take pride in the fact that the whole office has been changed in a reshuffle and their behaviour has been toned down (almost being nice) from my first couple of experiences/encounters there. They never cease to amaze me at the whole attitude, arrogance and the thought that they are above everyone, opportunistic scum of the earth. Just do your f#%cking job as evidently the facts are you work for us, the customer/client but your educational thought suggests otherwise.

[MickRobbo]

Typical Thailand tell the world what you are going to do before hand ,instead of doing it quietly to catch the bad guys.

Dopey or what !!DOH !!

All revolves around the latest meeting with the Australian diplomatic official - maybe Thailand does want Ozzy tourists here after all? As apposed to fully Chinese or Ruski oriented tourist demographic? Evidently they have no idea, no one is at the helm (every senior governing Junta member is at the hold party named: section 44 'fully inebriated') in fact all the lights have been turned off on the bridge totally. Destination China.

[jaywalker]

In the mean while, the terrorists simply walk over a land border whenever they want.

And the sheeple cheer at these Gestapo moves, not stopping to think that they are a bazillion times more likely to get run over by a bus than hurt by a terrorist pretty much anywhere, but especially in Thailand.

...Not realizing that by saying "If it helps 'security' I'm all for it!", and giving up personal freedoms, they are playing directly into the hands of the terrorists, who despise freedom.

"Frisk grandma in the wheelchair! Pat down my 6 year old daughter! No problem!", they stupidly proclaim.

Edited January 28, 2016 by jaywalker

[jaywalker]

air travel generally is becoming an increasingly excruciating ordeal of checking and more checking. I guess on the plus side it gives a lot of people a lot of jobs that never used to exist and some small people a small amount of power that they would not normally have had.

Terrorists also cause about .00001% as many deaths as Thai drivers, yet pretty much nothing is done about that.

EDIT:

I'm not counting the debacle down south, which is a guerrilla war zone.

Edited January 28, 2016 by jaywalker

[dcnx]

I thought that was the job of immigration.

Boggles the mind.