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[tartempion]

Immigration Police chief Pol. Lt-Gen. Chatchawan Suksomchit is mistaking Oct 1st for April 1st.

[ubonjoe]

tartempion, on 2008-10-03 10:41:29, said:

Immigration Police chief Pol. Lt-Gen. Chatchawan Suksomchit is mistaking Oct 1st for April 1st.

Are you referring to this part of story.
"The Immigration Card, which will be issued to tourists and others by the end of this year, marking the advent of a fresh tourist season, was part of the efforts to promote tourism and investment in the country."

[asiaworld]

paulandmaneerat, on 2008-10-03 09:01:56, said:

Why do us westerners living in Thailand always have to be so critical of Thai Immigration initiatives? Sure, there are some

Well done Thai Immigration Department!

Paul

1^ maybe because it is mainly the empty talk !!
2^ i would be holding my breath, until i can see the actual card !!

Words (as in govt. promises) are cheap all over the world. But in LOS its more like 60 to 1 (inflation adjusted )
i use the autogates in UK & HK & sorely need one for Thailand (if ever comes true!>>othewise costs me a passport a year! wasted by stamps).
But from the last 10 years of experience i'm more inclined to think one's more likely to see it implemented in say Cambodia ,
which at least gives sh*t about their foreigners !

But yeah if it ever to materialise Congrats shall be due !

Edited by asiaworld, 2008-10-03 10:59:24.

[Soutpeel]

After reading thorugh all these posts there seems a lot of guessing going on as what exactly this immigration card is..

Personally I think if it does happen, it will be a dressed up/re-packaged version of the current longstay cards you can currently buy, big on promises and advantages, but in reality delivers very little other than getting you through immigration a bit quicker with quite a significant cost attached

[NinjaGladiator]

A few points being missed:

Most of us on Non O multi-entry don't exit via the airport, but border hops, there's no mention of the system being put in place at all border crossings.

Those entering 3-5 times a year are rarely classed as tourists, and are indeed the less flavoured of the immigration, they like retirees cos (not all but a lot) throw all their money at some poor Thai family and then pop-their-clogs a few years later. They like shortstay tourists cos (apparently, but not my view) they spend more money in the short term and then leave.

People like myself who's under 40 and married to a Thai national are not favoured, that's why the law was changed to say "be over 50 (impossible) or go to work and pay taxes" I don't need to work so I can no longer get a 1 yr visa (cos I broke the chain - those of you in the chain know what I mean), before I simply placed 400k in my bank and I was good to go.

I also noticed when I last passed through Swampy they fast tracked me with the rest of my family (that was nice), I think someone else has hit the nail on the head with this one - it's a vetting procedure that us multi-entry guys might fall for, answer all their questions like "how do we support ourselves" and then get turned away, only to give it to those that rarely travel out of the country, like retirees.

[jts-khorat]

SiriusBlack1, on 2008-10-03 09:05:13, said:

If all it does is eliminate the requirement to carry your passport at all times (more honour'd in the breach than the observance as it is), I'm all for it!

Carrying a valid ID (bat brachachon; or in the case of a foreigner, a passport) is a police requirement, as such issuing of immigration cards by other agencies will do nothing to change the law. Welcome to Thailand, the land of the many infighting government agencies with overlapping responsibilities.

And BTW, nothing in the article states this card is anything but a queue jumper mechanism for airport immigration. Where people read into this that civil law or visa requirements will change with this, maybe they should give some source of this information, instead of just wild speculation.

[Soutpeel]

jts-khorat, on 2008-10-03 12:19:23, said:

Carrying a valid ID (bat brachachon; or in the case of a foreigner, a passport) is a police requirement

I will add again, no one on TV has yet cited an extract from Thai law which requires foreigners to carry a passport at all times..

Personally over the last 7 years my Thai drivers license has been accepted by Police when requested to provide ID...

[ubonjoe]

NinjaGladiator, on 2008-10-03 11:17:47, said:

People like myself who's under 40 and married to a Thai national are not favoured, that's why the law was changed to say "be over 50 (impossible) or go to work and pay taxes" I don't need to work so I can no longer get a 1 yr visa (cos I broke the chain - those of you in the chain know what I mean), before I simply placed 400k in my bank and I was good to go.

You might want to check out this recent topic. It gives an option.
http://www.thaivisa....ng-t215226.html

[Marksamui]

This is great, and i would guess something similar to the Singapore green card. So no more silly white forms....
However with the max 90 day stay in 180 days they are still going to have to stamp your passport I would guess?
Also, they say they will be issued to anyone travelling in and out 3-5 times a year. So what happens if you are 10 times a year? I guess you should qualify but then why issue a statement saying between 3-5 times a year, or is this the mimimum band? Confusing and without more info I can't see how they won't stamp your passport....

[astral]

Soutpeel, on 2008-10-03 10:55:22, said:

SiriusBlack1, on 2008-10-03 10:05:13, said:

If all it does is eliminate the requirement to carry your passport at all times (more honour'd in the breach than the observance as it is), I'm all for it!

What requirement to carry your passport ?.... Believe to date no one on TV has been able to cite the relevant law in Thailand which states you have to carry your passport with you at all times....

See the immigration act. http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en/do...gration_Act.pdf

Quote

Section 58 : Any alien who has no lawful document for entering the Kingdom under Section 12 (1); or
has no Residence Certificate under this Act; and also has no identification in accordance with the Law on
Alien registration, is considered to have entered into the Kingdom in violation to this Act.

No passport - You are illegal.

Now let's get back to the matter in hand, a new card from Immigration.

[loiner100]

jimmyb, on 2008-10-02 22:12:25, said:

RetireSoon, on 2008-10-02 15:23:50, said:

I cany see a process where the holder of the passpot is not verified as the holder, in UK we have Iris which enable you to pass through once it sees your eyes.

If they gave them cards out and never verified who the passport holder was it would end up like UK where anyone gets in without documentation, unless they chipped the cards.
Sounds a good idea but need to see the process.

At what UK airport do they use iris scans? I'm from the UK and I am a frequent traveller mostly using Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow and Gatwick and I've yet to come accross this. I know they have talked about bringing it in but I doubt that it's being used at this time.

It is being used at Manchester, but not working last time I went in March. (surprise, surprise)

[Cian]

Oh Boy,can't wait... : )

[ubonjoe]

sriracha john, on 2008-10-02 13:50:12, said:

The Immigration Card holders, Thai and foreign alike, will bypass normal procedures of the Immigration Police which include scanning for criminal suspects or those on the police and immigration Watch List.
Instead, the Immigration Card holders will have the privileges to go through fast passage at airports, the Immigration Police chief said.

I think this answers the questions about stamps. Is seems to me that the time savings is that the immigration officer won't have to enter all your info in the computer and then enter more info.
He swipes the card gets an okay stamps your passport and away you go.
A special line for card holders would eliminate all those in front of you that don't know what they are doing.

Edited by ubonjoe, 2008-10-03 13:55:59.

[anothertorres]

Crushdepth, on 2008-10-02 11:52:55, said:

While I admire the optimism expressed here all I can say is stop taking drugs and pull yourself together people. It's never going to happen and if it does, it will be implemented in way that makes you wish it hadn't. It's not for *your* benefit.

what are you, some kind of wizard?

[virgomjh]

How many of these 'frequent visitors' coming in and out of Thailand are long term tourists / residents returning from their monthly / quarterly visa runs? If the Thai government really wants to help foreigners it should get to the heart of the problem and fundamentally review its whole immigration policy. Providing immigration cards is an uncharacteristicly posative thought but the cost of setting up and administering the system will be huge for very little practical benefit - surely the money would be better spent on the real underlying problems?

[Soutpeel]

virgomjh, on 2008-10-03 16:58:00, said:

If the Thai government really wants to help foreigners

[Garry]

StreetCowboy, on 2008-10-02 11:50:37, said:

If this works as well as it does in HK (for residents) or Dubai (for anyone) then it will be great.
It will double the life of my passport for a start.

By taking out frequent travellers from the queue, it should benefit everyone; or alternatively, give them a chance to reduce the number of immigration officers.

I imagine it will use finger prints, same as HK and Dubai (probably the whole of UAE but I never been to anywhere else)

SC

Same deal here in Oman now SC, fast track with our labour, 1. insert card 2. thumbprint 3. face scan / pic

[paul1970]

If they do come out with this fact track immigration card all it's going to do is move the bottleneck from the immigration queues to the baggage collection.

I travel through swampy between 20 to 30 times a year and I would say that 95% of the time I'm hanging around waiting for my luggage to appear on the baggage claim belt. So unless the speed up the baggage handling then this new card is virtually going to have little or no impact at all.

[ubonjoe]

I think the line at immigration experience depends on what time you arrive. Most of the trips I have made arrived at around midnight and have experienced some long waits.
If they do the card right it will help.
Baggage wait I have had some of those be long also and I think the time of arrival affects that also.

[Ianatlarge]

ummm, one more card to carry, more personal information handed over to a 'government', more procedures! Will it in fact slow things down? Take more time? Cost more?

- professional cynic and doubter of governments.

[ezside]

FatherF, on 2008-10-02 14:34:15, said:

ChiangMaiMike, on 2008-10-02 08:25:03, said:

hmmm..

The purpose of this is to accomodate farang?

I don't recall spending a lot of time at Thai Immigrations...

This doesn't make sense to me... I think missing some imformation.

It normally takes me about 1 - 2 Hours to get through immigration! I would be really interested in this card! but would like alot more info about it.

I came back on Tuesday & it took the usual 20-30 minutes even w/several flights arriving at once. Maybe they just don't like you?

[coocooforcocoapuffs]

i dont get it. i come to tland 4 times a year from nepal and i have never stood in line at immigration for more then 10 or 15 minutes...

[jimmyb]

RetireSoon, on 2008-10-03 00:45:02, said:

jimmyb, on 2008-10-02 21:12:25, said:

RetireSoon, on 2008-10-02 15:23:50, said:

I cany see a process where the holder of the passpot is not verified as the holder, in UK we have Iris which enable you to pass through once it sees your eyes.

If they gave them cards out and never verified who the passport holder was it would end up like UK where anyone gets in without documentation, unless they chipped the cards.
Sounds a good idea but need to see the process.

At what UK airport do they use iris scans? I'm from the UK and I am a frequent traveller mostly using Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow and Gatwick and I've yet to come accross this. I know they have talked about bringing it in but I doubt that it's being used at this time.

Jimmy, as a poster stated its terminal 3 on your next flight out after you get through the security on the right hand side there is on office, its closes at 9.00pm takes about 5 minutes.

Then on your return as soon as you enter immigration turn sharp left there are 2 booths ( there were two weeks ago) you look in a screen and line your eyes up and bobs your uncle.

Its very quick there were 2 people ahead, of course the added bonus is you can throw your passport away when you get on the plane and still get in the UK Or sell it on the plane

Thanks for puting me right. Please forgive me as never been through terminal 3.

[rabmail]

McFarang, on 2008-10-02 20:45:26, said:

I am in and out of Bangkok and Phuket all the time 8-10 times a year and never have a long wait at Immigration always very smooth maybe I have just been lucky.
Travelling Biz Class helps because you are first off the plane but even stopping of for a much need cigerette or 2 I still dont have much waiting 10-15mins at most.
I come in and out on 2 passports does this mean that if the card is for tourists? and will be linked to only 1 passport if thats the case shall not be asking for one as that will be a great way of adding up consecutive days.

I come and go about 15 times a year (on an O Visa) and can't say it is always smooth in either Bangkok or Phuket. In Bangkok I have sometimes stood in line for 40 mins and in Phuket between November and March you can stand in line for over an hour if you arrive at a bad time. I travel First or Business Class and am normally first off the aircraft.

I have a Fast Track cards in Singapore and Jakarta. In Singapore it uses my Thumb Print and in Jakarta it uses an Iris Scan. Both work very well. In Singapore it is not a great advantage as there are usually not bad lines but in Jakarta it is a life saver.

After a few bad time in line in Phuket I have been considering a Elite Card.

Lets hope the Thai Immigration go ahead with this fast track card.

[asiaworld]

rabmail, on 2008-10-06 15:43:06, said:

I have a Fast Track cards in Singapore and Jakarta. In Singapore it uses my Thumb Print and in Jakarta it uses an Iris Scan. Both work very well. In Singapore it is not a great advantage as there are usually not bad lines but in Jakarta it is a life saver.

?! Does Singapore has fast track for visitors, or are you resident ?! i know in Indonesia they allow visa-free visitors to apply for one , but never heard of one in Singapore ! <for frequent visitors i mean>