Bangkok: "Rangsiman" has voiced strong criticism against the National Police Chief and the Immigration Bureau for permitting the biometric system to become both obsolete and expired, leading to missed opportunities in data collection on call center gangs. He expressed a lack of confidence in the detection system and highlighted unequal treatment following the repatriation of Chinese nationals without distinguishing victims from criminals.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Rangsiman Rome, MP of the Prachachon Party and Chairman of the Committee on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform, detailed his concerns after engaging relevant agencies to clarify the process of identity verification at the Mae Sot border checkpoint in Tak Province. He revealed that the committee has evidence indicating that the biometric system, crucial for collecting personal identities, has not been operational throughout 2024 and will remain inactive for another two years. This situation results in a three-year gap during which Thailand will lack functional biometric machines at both airports and borders. The risk is that this gap could allow tourists to misuse Thailand as a transit hub for criminal activities, a certainty Mr. Rangsiman underscored. The current reliance on facial photos and fingerprints by the Immigration Bureau is deemed insufficient, creating a significant vulnerability to crime groups. Despite an apparent forewarning, the Immigration Bureau failed to prevent this gap, persisting with outdated methods and resorting to blacklisting call center gangs instead.
Mr. Rangsiman questioned the National Police Chief and the Immigration Bureau Chief on how such a lapse occurred, labeling it an unforgivable error. He demanded accountability in the event that any crime arises due to the system's failure. He also noted that the Immigration Bureau Chief previously rejected the purchase of additional licenses necessary to bolster the system.
Furthermore, Mr. Rangsiman confirmed that the committee's inquiries revealed that while Chinese nationals were processed and returned directly to China without separating victims from criminals, nationals of other countries were subjected to recording and separation. This practice, he argued, contravenes international principles and does not align with Thailand's interests.
Mr. Rangsiman acknowledged the importance of cooperation with China in combating call center gangs. However, he criticized the current system for enabling Chinese nationals, seen as a privileged group, to return home immediately, while others remain subject to bureaucratic processes, raising concerns over unequal treatment. He urged the Thai government to reconsider its approach to such situations.
Despite expecting to be blacklisted, Mr. Rangsiman expressed skepticism about the system's reliability, noting that it might fail to detect individuals returning with new passports.