Controversial “Foreign National Information Form” arrives in Pattaya, being rolled out nationwide

[Don Mega]

The Foreign National Information Form. The 3rd page is blank. I guess for extra comments or info. Sorry wrong order cannot edit correctly. Page numbers on the bottom. You can work it out, cheers.

The only things I would give them are: email address, Thai person guarantor and residence in Thailand. The rest are kind of N/A.

What does the "Thai person guarantor" do ?

[sgtsabai]

I see we have some sheeple here and some that understand the implications of this form. Everyone has done something wrong and all have something to fear whether one thinks so or not. Name-John Doe, Sgt, USMC 211....(yea I had a real serial #, not the later SS #). I picked up my extension of stay, multi-entry exit/entry permit at Udon immigration last week the 17th. Nothing about this. No, immigration does not have any of my petty little bank account details, and I never have the 10,000 USD that requires reporting to the states. In fact on paper I own nothing. I don't do social media and no way in hell I give any email info. Tor/VPN. The gov't will get what information it wants on this site, whenever they want it. In fact I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out the "Five Eyes" i.e Spies, monitor TV. I foresee a lot of N/A on that form if I ever HAVE to fill it out. Like America, Thailand wants to become a police/surveillance state, just not all that good at it, yet, unlike America.

[tpthai2]

The Foreign National Information Form. The 3rd page is blank. I guess for extra comments or info. Sorry wrong order cannot edit correctly. Page numbers on the bottom. You can work it out, cheers.

I believe this is a one page form, that is, front and back.

Check this download link, pdf of form. Not quite the same as the form posted.

http://newscontent.thaivisa.com/2016/06/22/Foreign_National_Information.pdf

[Don Mega]

I see we have some sheeple here and some that understand the implications of this form. Everyone has done something wrong and all have something to fear whether one thinks so or not. Name-John Doe, Sgt, USMC 211....(yea I had a real serial #, not the later SS #). I picked up my extension of stay, multi-entry exit/entry permit at Udon immigration last week the 17th. Nothing about this. No, immigration does not have any of my petty little bank account details, and I never have the 10,000 USD that requires reporting to the states. In fact on paper I own nothing. I don't do social media and no way in hell I give any email info. Tor/VPN. The gov't will get what information it wants on this site, whenever they want it. In fact I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out the "Five Eyes" i.e Spies, monitor TV. I foresee a lot of N/A on that form if I ever HAVE to fill it out. Like America, Thailand wants to become a police/surveillance state, just not all that good at it, yet, unlike America.

How did you sign up to Thaivisa if you dont give out your email ?

[RubberBroke]

I will happily provide all the information that is asked for if they agree to compensate me for not using it when there is an genuine emergency.

Sent from my HTC Desire 700 dual sim using Tapatalk

[Seraphina]

If this form does roll out nationwide, just wondering how it would affect mailed in 90 day reporting.

The logical thing would be to put the form on-line with an uploadable photo. What the DVLC (licencing centre for drivers in UK) are doing is using your passport photo to issue driving licence renewals. I thought that was quite clever really as a way of linking people to passports and identifying 'aliens'. Up to 30% of drivers in the UK currently drive either without a licence, or without insurance or both. They have found a high correlation between people who have no car tax and people with no insurance....I suspect that a significant number of transgressors are non-UK citizens.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Seraphina

[willyumiii]

Not required when I applied for my yearly extension in Korat this week.

The only new form was one stating that I understood the rule against overstaying and the consequences of breaking that rule.

[Dumbastheycome]

It would appear that there is duplication of information required which suggests that the content is being forwarded to a unit separate to the general immigration system as such. The majority of it could be used for identification of individuals in situations of disaster or criminality. But the request for bank account numbers already submitted for proof of funds as per extension of stay seems to be excessive unless it is considered to be a double check on those who achieve extensions via agents without the necessary account funds. It has not been specified but I am assuming the request for account details refers only to Bank accounts in Thailand?

[Alive]

It would seem to me that any rights Thais lose in privacy, foreigners also lose. If one day the Thai government can demand access to a Thai citizen's email by law, any foreigner on Thai soil would also have to provide that access. May not be the case today, but supposed the Thai government demands access to an email of a Thai resident on Thai soil from the service provider, they could also ask for access to a foreigner using email on their soil. If you are in Thailand, Thai law rules. Just a thought. These days employers and others are researching on the net. If you use company email, that company has a right to read your private emails and to monitor traffic going to your work accounts and company computers. This is in the US. Here's a link to some interesting facts about business. This can be applied at you office in Thailand or through the ISP. Thailand is moving toward more and more control over and surveillance of net traffic. The story connects to Clinton but it's about general aspects of email and work.

http://time.com/money/3729939/work-personal-email-hillary-clinton-byod/

There was a law enacted years back which requires all private firms, organizations and government agencies to store all internet traffic data for 90 days. Always wondered about this and if anyone actually followed through with it in any way. It might still be on the books.

There's an old thread about it.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/206147-thailands-internet-law-begins-aug-23-requires-user-tracking/

Edited June 24, 2016 by Alive

[Psimbo]

I've been coming to Thailand for about 12 years, never overstayed a visa, always respected the laws..

Embraced Thai culture and befriended many people all over the country. I love Thailand.

But this information form and the ongoing and increasing absurdities towards farangs by the authorities (and Thai thugs) is where I will hit the brakes and say no thanks, I'll find another place to spend my winters.

Going to the Philippines and spending more time in South Korea instead this winter.

Only hope the best for Thailand, have read the forum as a news source but I'm not a poster or regular member.

Cheers, good luck to all of you.

Have you actually LOOKED at the form- its hardly intrusive, Emergency contact details, vehicle details, etc are actually quite handy if you are lying dead/injured in a ditch and need people to be informed of your plight.. Email is about another form of contact-and is optional if you read the form.

Edited June 24, 2016 by Psimbo

[evadgib]

Earlier this year a catastrophic failure within the Thai Government lead to the addresses etc of a thousand or more foreigners living in Southern Thailand being compromised. At around the same time reports started to surface from people living within the catchment areas of immigration offices throughout the Kingdom that ad-hoc requests were being made for just about everything, save perhaps for a DNA sample before their annual extensions of stay can be renewed; examples of which include......

http://www.samuitimes.com/letter-to-the-editor-inappropriate-data-and-other-requests-immigration-offices-throughout-the-kingdom-since-eastersongkran-2016/

Edited June 24, 2016 by evadgib

[jak2002003]

I have only one problem with this form... I don't want to give out my bank account details... that sounds very risky.

[Rhys]

I've been coming to Thailand for about 12 years, never overstayed a visa, always respected the laws..

Embraced Thai culture and befriended many people all over the country. I love Thailand.

But this information form and the ongoing and increasing absurdities towards farangs by the authorities (and Thai thugs) is where I will hit the brakes and say no thanks, I'll find another place to spend my winters.

Going to the Philippines and spending more time in South Korea instead this winter.

Only hope the best for Thailand, have read the forum as a news source but I'm not a poster or regular member.

Cheers, good luck to all of you.

TAT take heed.. many will follow... because some 2 star is bucking for a middle one..

[smotherb]

Don't give them your mobile phone number!

You were supposed to have registered your cell number already. Do you suppose immigration may be able to access that list?

[metisdead]

Please use discretion in your references to the government. Phrases which can be considered as anti-coup will be removed. Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/878797-updated-notice-to-members-posting-in-thailand-news/

[Seraphina]

Earlier this year a catastrophic failure within the Thai Government lead to the addresses etc of a thousand or more foreigners living in Southern Thailand being compromised. At around the same time reports started to surface from people living within the catchment areas of immigration offices throughout the Kingdom that ad-hoc requests were being made for just about everything, save perhaps for a DNA sample before their annual extensions of stay can be renewed; examples of which include......

http://www.samuitimes.com/letter-to-the-editor-inappropriate-data-and-other-requests-immigration-offices-throughout-the-kingdom-since-eastersongkran-2016/

I'm not sure I'd call it "catastrophic" unless it included passwords and anyway, India's the place for that!

We share far more about our private lives and share details on multiple websites these days à la Facebook and Twitter than we ever did before, so I'm not sure if the concept of "privacy" may need to be redefinied. Now if the authorities leaked our banking information with passwords as at least two banks that I know of in the UK have done, notably HSBC, who left our passwordson the wrong side of their firewall, THAT'S serious!

[sgtsabai]

Don Mega, what I said, the government can get info from this site anytime it requests it. Go back a post or two, there is the answer. Yep, bad mistake, should have used a throw away email. I wouldn't trust this site as far as I could throw it with one finger, but now I'm here.

[brewsterbudgen]

I have only one problem with this form... I don't want to give out my bank account details... that sounds very risky.

Then don't give it. Just N/A the sections you don't want to complete.

[Friendly Stranger]

Reading an article in a Cambodian magazine, a minister in Thailand wants all visitors to be issued wristbands by their hotels, with passport information etc., in case they become lost and do not remember where they are staying. Next it will be ankle bracelets.

Why not the star of david painted on everyone?

Oh sorry, that has been taken....

Rolled out nationwide. Like the umpteenth other schemes that they've abandoned. Sheesh, they don't know what to come up with now.

[sikishrory]

A similar thing is happening in Australias census this year ( https://www.efa.org.au/privacy/census-2016/ ) except you are obligated to complete it and if you provide false information or don't complete it then:

"There are offences associated with knowingly providing false or misleading information, or failing to complete questions on demand, during a census."

Infact your not even allowed to ask questions about it:

"6. Ask lots of questions

These may be about, for example, the process, the questions, the privacy protections, or the security of the data. This may be accompanied by saying or implying that you may be prepared to provide the data once you have satisfactory answers. Based on experience, the ABS is likely to reply slowly, and with pre-written, carefully-composed and vague text that does not answer your questions. It's commonly necessary to ask the questions again, and address letters further up the organisation. It's necessary to sustain your patience over many months until one side or the other gives up."

I don't agree with people being asked for these personal details but this pales in comparison to what aussie government is doing...

The following is all from the website as ridiculous as some of it sounds

2016 Census Changes:

1. Every person's identity will remain linked to the data collected, forever.

This was imposed on 5% of the population (1 million people) in 2006 and 2011. Applying it to everybody is a massive extension first attempted in 2006, and revived in 2016

2. The data about each person, from all available Census and ABS Surveys, will be linked together.

This was imposed on 5% of the population (1m people) in 2006 and 2011.

Applying it to everybody is a massive extension first attempted in 2006, and revived in 2016

3. Additional data will be expropriated from other sources and added to each person's record.

This is new in 2016

4. Individual data about people and households will be made available to researchers.

Nominally it will be de-identified, but in practice it will be so rich that it will be readily re-identifiable.

This is substantially new in 2016. (It appears that the ABS is already doing this, without public knowledge)

5. In some cases, the individual data that is released to researchers will even include address, and "anonymised versions of names" (whatever that means).

This is substantially new or entirely new in 2016. (Possibly the ABS is already doing this, without public knowledge)

Each of these features, individually, is a gross, unjustified and unacceptable intrusion into people's privacy, and the combination of them is a serious breach of trust.

Many Australians will be so angry at these breaches of trust that the ABS's reputation is may be irreparably damaged. More importantly, there is a real danger that many Australians will choose to provide inaccurate responses or to boycott the Census altogether, thereby putting at risk the entire project and the hundreds of millions of dollars it costs to run.

Edited June 25, 2016 by sikishrory

[fakser]

Each year I fill in the online form from the official website of Thai immigration, print it and submit at Chaeng Wattana immigration office.

Thai immigration did not modify the form and they accepted it as is two weeks ago when I renewed my OA visa.

[Alive]

Don't give them your mobile phone number!

You were supposed to have registered your cell number already. Do you suppose immigration may be able to access that list?

Mark Zuckerberg puts tape over the camera on his apple laptop. That story came out this week. The world is afraid of losing its privacy more and more these days. My educated Thai friends seem to think the Thai government is too screwed up to use tech in any competent way. Just fear itself.

[Kwasaki]

Don't give them your mobile phone number!

You were supposed to have registered your cell number already. Do you suppose immigration may be able to access that list?

Haven't got a phone number in my name there all in my wife's name.

[Kwasaki]

I have only one problem with this form... I don't want to give out my bank account details... that sounds very risky.

As l have posted before if l don't give bank details l won't be given an extension of stay.

[Gandtee]

I just come back from Jomtien for my 90 days:

- DONT FORGET TO BRING 1 PHOTO

- this 3 pages form is not a big deal, done in 5-10mn

- You have to do it ONCE, for the next 90 days notification you won't need to fill that form again

Spellforce,

I downloaded the pdf and it has (2) pages of requested information to be filled out.

You mention (3) pages.

I filled nothiing on the last 3rd page (only signed).

The 2 first pages I filled are the same as the .pdf

http://newscontent.thaivisa.com/2016/06/22/Foreign_National_Information.pdf

Some one has just posted filling out the form today. They said it is a one-page double sided form. For those filling the form our in advance print it front and back, not two pages.

http://newscontent.thaivisa.com/2016/06/22/Foreign_National_Information.pdf

And you need to attach a photo. When I did my retirement this week at Jomtien, a very helpful (falang) volunteer did most of the work for me. Even copied a photo to attach to the form.The only info I gave was my home address and house phone number. I received my visa the following morning, no sweat. Jomtien has changed considerably over the years. Mostly for the better. It would be helpful though if they would install a queue ticket machine to avoid the scrum at the information desk.

[dcnx]

I see we have some sheeple here and some that understand the implications of this form. Everyone has done something wrong and all have something to fear whether one thinks so or not. Name-John Doe, Sgt, USMC 211....(yea I had a real serial #, not the later SS #). I picked up my extension of stay, multi-entry exit/entry permit at Udon immigration last week the 17th. Nothing about this. No, immigration does not have any of my petty little bank account details, and I never have the 10,000 USD that requires reporting to the states. In fact on paper I own nothing. I don't do social media and no way in hell I give any email info. Tor/VPN. The gov't will get what information it wants on this site, whenever they want it. In fact I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find out the "Five Eyes" i.e Spies, monitor TV. I foresee a lot of N/A on that form if I ever HAVE to fill it out. Like America, Thailand wants to become a police/surveillance state, just not all that good at it, yet, unlike America.

How did you sign up to Thaivisa if you dont give out your email ?

If he uses TOR he probably also uses throw away emails for places like this. Very popular.

[Scotwight]

USA is following Thailand's lead after last month's deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California, multiple senators called for a new law that would allow Homeland Security to check the social media of immigrants entering the United States have checked.

http://www.dailydot.com/politics/homeland-security-twitter-dark-net-surveillance/

Edited June 25, 2016 by Scotwight

[mki8]

yeh, give us your local hangouts

incase we need to find a scapegoat at short notice

Edited June 25, 2016 by mki8

[mki8]

I have only one problem with this form... I don't want to give out my bank account details... that sounds very risky.

just open a 2nd account, but dont be surprised if they then pull you in to ask where all your money is.

[Buzzz]

I have only one problem with this form... I don't want to give out my bank account details... that sounds very risky.

just open a 2nd account, but dont be surprised if they then pull you in to ask where all your money is.

They need the bank info and would really like your PIN # .

Don't worry. You are just giving the Thai police your personal information. Not like your handing your info to some organized criminal gang.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Buzzz