Bangkok: Immigration Bureau faces scrutiny as it waits for a new biometric system while dealing with the influx of foreigners entering Thailand through manual processes. The Security Committee is pressing for better identity collection after discovering full biometric license data linked to call center gangs.
According to Thai News Agency, the Committee on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform, chaired by Mr. Rangsiman Rome, convened with key agencies, including the Royal Thai Police, the Immigration Bureau, and Airports of Thailand Public Company Limited. The focus was on the extradition of foreigners from Myawaddy, Myanmar, who were involved in call center operations entering through the Thai border in Tak Province. The Chinese government's intervention by sending planes to repatriate these individuals highlighted concerns over identity verification, essential for checking criminal records and preventing re-entry into Thailand.
Pol. Col. Neti Khanboon, Director of the System and Database Management Division, Immigration Information Technology Center, clarified that while identities are typically checked at entry and exit points, the Myawaddy border's unique status complicates matters. The Mae Sot checkpoint, not directly under his purview, follows standard protocol by verifying fingerprints in the biometric system. However, if departure data is missing, it suggests illegal exit, raising immediate red flags. The Myawaddy checkpoint, a closed border, prohibits tourist movement from third countries. Despite system issues, alternative methods ensure identity collection; today's report confirmed data for border crossers was indeed gathered.
Mr. Rangsiman probed the capacity of Thailand's biometric system, to which Pol. Col. Neti admitted it was initially capable of storing data for 30 million people, with subsequent expansions to 50 million. With future development underway, expected in 29 months at a 3 billion baht budget, the current system faces limitations. In 2024, 17 million entries and exits occurred sans license, highlighting vulnerabilities. Yet, the system maintains a blacklist to flag offenders, including those suspected in call center operations.
Concerns persist about the interim identity data crisis until the new system's deployment. Mr. Rangsiman speculated that full license storage led to reliance on photographic and fingerprint records. Pol. Col. Neti assured this measure was not due to capacity issues but because the individuals were deemed prohibited, likely linked to call center activities, and could be blacklisted. Even with altered passports or nationalities, their deportation status remains, with re-entry decisions resting with the Immigration Bureau's judgment.