reader Posted February 22 Posted February 22 NOTE — could this affect plan to inaugurate prior arrival notice for foreigners scheduled for May 1, 2025? From Bangkok Post The Immigration Bureau failed to collect the biometric data of about 17 million travellers who entered and exited Thailand last year after the system reached its maximum capacity, according to People’s Party deputy leader Rangsiman Rome. “Thailand currently does not utilise the biometric system for border control security. This lack of data collection poses a significant risk of criminals re-entering the country,” the opposition politician said in a post on his Facebook account on Friday. “Throughout the entire year of 2024 and up to today, there has been no actual collection of biometric data. What is being collected are merely photographs of facial images and fingerprint photos, not true biometrics,” added Mr Rangsiman, who chairs the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform. Since the previous licence for the system expired, about 17 million people have arrived in and departed Thailand without their biometric details being recorded. It could take up to 29 months for the Immigration Bureau to get a new system up and running as the procurement process has not even begun, he said. Mr Rangsiman stressed that many people, including immigration officers, are unaware of the issue. He also revealed that the bureau had discussed the issue on seven occasions with the National Security Committee. However, higher authorities have not taken action, he noted. “This is a complete failure of police organisation,” Mr Rangsiman said. “This loophole likely explains why so many transnational criminal groups continue to operate freely in Thailand. It is also difficult to remove them due to the inefficiency of state agencies.” Pol Col Neti Khanboon, head of the database division at the bureau’s IT centre, admitted the system had reached full capacity while testifying before Mr Rangsiman’s committee on Thursday. He said the current biometric system can store personal identity data for 50 million people. Purchasing an unlimited licence would require a budget of 500 million baht, he said, adding that a new personal identity collection system was being developed with a budget of 3 billion baht. Personal identity data collection relies on facial photographs, fingerprint images and written records. In 2024, 17 million people entered and left the country without biometric records, he confirmed. “The limited capacity of the biometric system is a weakness,” he conceded. The biometric system used by the bureau was procured in 2019 at a cost of 2.1 billion baht. Among those who spoke out against it publicly was Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the high-profile officer who has feuded with many senior figures and was dismissed from the force last year. Continues at https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2965620/thai-immigration-biometric-system-no-longer-functioning TMax 1 Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 22 Posted February 22 The situation may not be as dire as first impressions from the story. Most likely there is a separate database that records and stores data pertaining to entry and exit: your passport number and dates. What they thought they had also stored (facepics and fingerprints) might not have been stored after the licence reached its limit. For most travellers who are honest, this should not be a problem. Perhaps those using new or multiple passports to evade detection of prior entries might benefit from the absence of identity matching that a biometric system is meant to provide. However, I saw that the airport authorities had been boasting of a biometric channel the last few months. I have never used it. If anyone here has, perhaps you can tell us whether you had to see a human after going through the biometric channel to get your passport stamped in/out (and maybe the officer made a data entry into the non biometric database of your entry or exit). If you didn't have to see an officer and didn't get a stamp on your passport, then it may be more serious. The process might have relied entirely on the biometric channel to record your in/out, and if the system was not storing that data, as reported, then one can imagine a lot of trouble ahead. Do read the second part of the Bangkok Post story too, about an alleged assassination attempt. This looks very serious. TMax 1 Quote
PeterRS Posted February 22 Posted February 22 I get through on fast track having reached the age when this can be done without flying at the front and of the aircraft. When exiting, there is no officer and no stamp in the passport. Since the passport has to be scanned before the machine takes the face pic and lets you through, I assume the passport details can - or should - be recorded somewhere. It all reminds me of one of the reasons for the new machines being introduced. It was discovered only 2 or 3 years ago that most of the information on the paper entry immigration forms had never been processed. A gazillion of them were merely sitting rotting in a large warehouse! What really pisses me off, though, is that returning to Bangkok I still have to pass an officer who does check all my details and inputs into a computer. Yet since I own my apartment, under the law I then have to do a manual telephone report on an Immigration website within 36 hours of arrival to inform someone of my address. Given that after all but just one arrival at BKK, I am always at the same address - the exception was a quarantine hotel during covid - this seems another typically pointless piece of Thai bureaucracy! Ruthrieston and TMax 2 Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted February 23 Posted February 23 On 2/22/2025 at 11:18 AM, PeterRS said: What really pisses me off, though, is that returning to Bangkok I still have to pass an officer who does check all my details and inputs into a computer. I am hoping that what you wrote above is still true - as I desire the physical stamp in my passport, to: Be exempt for my first 90 days reporting, as required with the non O immigrant visa (I was out of the country), I need these first 62 days that I was outside of Thailand recorded in my passport - as I am using this tax year 2025 as my non-resident tax exemption - as part of my > 180 days out of Thailand. Therefore, I hope and pray, that the above mentioned mishap with the biometric system will not impact the date tracing of in and out of the country for the above mentioned 2 purposes. Quote
PeterRS Posted February 23 Posted February 23 Although I now get through the Fast Track Lane, I am certain it will be the same with all entering passsengers getting a chop in the passport. Quote
macaroni21 Posted February 23 Posted February 23 @jason1975 when you get into Bangkok in March, do tell us whether you still have to submit your fingerprints and get your photo taken. Something tells me that, knowing Thailand as many of us do, it will take a while before they realise that these procedures are pointless if the famed biometric system isn't storing the data. But junior minions will continue to do as minions do... Isn't that fun? Quote
PeterRS Posted February 24 Posted February 24 18 hours ago, macaroni21 said: @jason1975 when you get into Bangkok in March, do tell us whether you still have to submit your fingerprints and get your photo taken No need to wait. I returned from Taipei 7 days ago. Fingerprints and photo still required. Quote
bkkmfj2648 Posted February 24 Posted February 24 37 minutes ago, PeterRS said: No need to wait. I returned from Taipei 7 days ago. Fingerprints and photo still required. In addition to what you wrote above did they put a physical stamp onto one of your passport pages? 🙏😇👍 Quote
PeterRS Posted February 24 Posted February 24 55 minutes ago, bkkmfj2648 said: In addition to what you wrote above did they put a physical stamp onto one of your passport pages? 🙏😇👍 Yes the officer did. bkkmfj2648 1 Quote
