Fingerprint scans to debut at Immigration to catch known criminals

[misskit]

PHUKET: Thai Immigration aims to begin scanning fingerprints of all foreigners arriving in the Kingdom by the end of the year under a project costing 342 million baht.

“The budget has yet to be approved, but we hope to introduce fingerprint-scanning machines by the end of 2014,” Immigration Commissioner Pharnu Kerdlarpphon confirmed to the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

The scanners, to be introduced at every immigration entry point in the country, are part of the bureau’s effort to prevent foreign criminals from entering Thailand, Lt Gen Pharnu explained.

Fingerprint scanners were chosen over biometric passport scanners as they are better able to identify criminals who have officially changed their names and have passports under their new identities, Gen Pharnu said.

“We are aware that some of our target groups, such as Russians and South Koreans, are issued biometric passports,” he explained. “But biometric passport scanners would not catch people travelling with new documents or those using fake passports.

“You can change your name or your appearance, but you can’t change your fingerprints.”

The general recognized that scanning fingerprints would not flag any inbound foreigners unless they had a criminal record in Thailand or were wanted by Interpol.

Remainder of item here: Fingerprint scans to debut at Immigration to catch known criminals

[xanax]

will the Police be required to give their prints?

[blue]

We found out in that Malaysian plane disappearance with the stolen / cancelled passports and Iranian filth, that interpol records are rarely checked.

We might as well voluntarily have a micro chip sewn in our heads , before they make us .

[jamescollister]

Total crap, no international data base for finger prints, nor likely to ever be one.

[Albert Shagnastier]

They have had them as you enter Cambodia for about 2 years now.

Good idea - if the info is in the right hands and put to good use.

[Topper]

Does anyone think the computers at some of the more obscure border crossings even work?

[Albert Shagnastier]

^Mate, with that haircut, they'll stop you at even the most remote and dusty border.