Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

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PeteC
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Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by PeteC »

Another insult. I do not have and have not seen any new forms. Can someone please post if they see/get them, and of course if some immigration person says answering is mandatory instead of voluntary as the article states. :roll: :banghead: :(
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https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/04/ ... t-details/

Thailand asking foreigners for bank account, social media, and hangout details

THAILAND’S Immigration Bureau is formally asking foreigners who live in the country to provide their bank account numbers as well as information about their social media use and places they often visit.

The government justified the controversial move on grounds of national security, citing concerns about terrorism. The new, seemingly intrusive request is likely to face stiff resistance from Thailand’s large expatriate community, which had previously faced leaks of their personal information.

Reporting on internal immigration documents that it acquired, Khaosod English said that forms with the aforementioned fields would apply to visa extensions and the routine 90-day reports needed for legal stay in Thailand.

Here’s a look at part of the form: (At link)

In addition to bank account numbers, the form asks foreigners about the social media they use and the vehicles they drive as well as places they frequent – “such as club, restaurant, shop, hospital and other places.”

While the form seems to imply that the information is mandatory, the government said otherwise.

“We won’t force them to fill it out,” said Chatchawan Wachirapaneekhun, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau’s crime suppression unit, according to Khaosod English.

“We won’t bother with their social media – if they aren’t doing anything wrong.”

His comments are likely to add to a confusing situation. Thailand’s expats might wonder why the new fields were included in the first place.

Chatchawan attributed the new information request to “national security.”

“Considering entering the ASEAN community and the increasing terrorism problem, some people escape after committing a crime, and we cannot track them down,” he said.

In any case, the new move is bound to be viewed skeptically by Thailand’s expat community, which is still reeling from two data leaks of their personal information in late March.

The first leak exposed names and addresses of foreigners living in the southern Thailand. The second leak, which happened shortly after, revealed – among other things – names, addressed, passport and flight numbers, and most recent vaccine shots. That leak mostly affected persons originating from South American countries.

Both incidents raised sharp questions about the Thai government’s ability to protect the personal data and privacy of foreigners in the country. Thailand has come to acquire a reputation for lackluster cybersecurity, with government websites repeatedly hacked and information stolen from them.

Security software company BitDefender previously ranked Thailand as having the 5th highest risk in Asia for cybersecurity threats.

Given the government’s poor record in defending against hacks and leaks, Thailand’s expats may wonder why they should provide any additional information at all.
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PeteC
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by PeteC »

As an FYI, the new forms are not present on the Thai Gov download site. Pete :cheers:

http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/en ... e=download
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by Dannie Boy »

Although it's not on the form, they already get some bank account information when you do your annual visa extension
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by J.J.B. »

What utter nonsense! You mean to say the multiple forms you need to complete in order to buy a vehicle aren't kept on some centrally accessible database? The SIM registration process doesn't lead to some form of IMEI-based tracking? I am surprised. (This is an ironic statement, for the record).

Another knee-jerk reaction that will not improve security one iota.
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by europtimiste »

Rumours, no excitement. First I want to see this form. About bank account, they know it as you have to show for year visa. You don't need to give more informations, if you have other accounts in other banks.About car, moto, anyway it's registered, I don't care about. About places I frequent, my answer will be: I am a free man and visit places I want to visit.
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by Bristolian »

europtimiste wrote:Rumours, no excitement.
Agreed 100%
However they would have fun with me if they did try to implement.

I have a Thai bank account but they already know that and have the details (minimum cash to meet requirements). My email address is a company address with full encryption and the server is based in Japan. My phone is a company phone with package from Singtel (cheaper as I travel a lot and use data roaming) my phone is also encrypted for communication)
I don't use social media
I don't frequent anywhere frequently

Next question please.... :D
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

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13051580_1191781037501382_843990999834645005_n.jpg
13051580_1191781037501382_843990999834645005_n.jpg (145.75 KiB) Viewed 6937 times
Some bureaucrat trying to justify his job by the looks of it ...
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by Spitfire »

Just the next ill-thought out move by an immigration jobsworth and paranoid army types.

Instead of harrassing the retired/legally working here, the immigration office should be consentrating on not allowing the douchebags to come here in the first place. If they did that properly, then the non indigenous crime rate figures would fall 50% or more and they would realise and be able to crow about their much heralded "Good guys in, bad guys out" ads.

Harrassing the people who are already legal and just want to live/work here legally and contribute is just moronic.

Glad I don't use the social media they are referring to...lol.

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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by hhfarang »

I don't use social media
You just did. This forum is a form of social media... :roll:
My brain is like an Internet browser; 12 tabs are open and 5 of them are not responding, there's a GIF playing in an endless loop,... and where is that annoying music coming from?
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by Spitfire »

hhfarang wrote:
I don't use social media
You just did. This forum is a form of social media... :roll:
Didn't realise moving back to the US made you cherry pick the quotes HHF......try reading again and absorbing the bit after that which you quoted......means Facebook and Twitter. Never said this wasn't social media but isn't the type the army is too bothered about. Please read the post properly before deploying the 'shoot from the hip' wise guy BS...even if hard for the US gentry to understand..... :roll:

Didn't figure you for a troll.
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by centermid7 »

Spitfire wrote:
hhfarang wrote:
I don't use social media
You just did. This forum is a form of social media... :roll:
Didn't realise moving back to the US made you cherry pick the quotes HHF......try reading again and absorbing the bit after that which you quoted......means Facebook and Twitter. Never said this wasn't social media but isn't the type the army is too bothered about. Please read the post properly before deploying the 'shoot from the hip' wise guy BS...even if hard for the US gentry to understand..... :roll:

Didn't figure you for a troll.
Sorry . . . there is no mention of FB or Twitter. It does not mean that? Says you. The army isn't too bothered about? Says you WHOM DID NOT EVEN WRITE THE POST! 555 I would have read it the same way. However, good job attempting to bash the Americans in a weak attempt to muddy up the water.

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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by Spitfire »

Zzzzzz...another one
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by GLCQuantum »

Spitfire is, quite obviously, spot on I'm afraid.

When talking of 'social media' they aren't talking about small forum usage. They are asking for account addresses to the big avenues of social media such as... *insert obvious names here*. Social media that is widely seen by many. Forums that are unknown to many are not classed as 'social media' in their eyes.

It's not bleedin' rocket science chaps.

I also don't, currently, use social media.

:banghead:
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Re: Thailand asking for more info.......

Post by HHTel »

Dannie Boy wrote:Although it's not on the form, they already get some bank account information when you do your annual visa extension
Not from me they don't. A letter from the British Embassy is sufficient. Evidence is presented to the embassy but not used as part of the letter. I believe other embassy's confirmation letters are treated the same.
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Re: Immigration asking for more info from foreigners

Post by JamesWest »

GLCQuantum wrote:Spitfire is, quite obviously, spot on I'm afraid.

When talking of 'social media' they aren't talking about small forum usage. They are asking for account addresses to the big avenues of social media such as... *insert obvious names here*. Social media that is widely seen by many. Forums that are unknown to many are not classed as 'social media' in their eyes.

It's not bleedin' rocket science chaps.

I also don't, currently, use social media.

:banghead:
does twitter count as social media? because everything you post on this forum goes out on twitter. are you familiar with tweetdeck? where you use "watchwords" to monitor EVERYTHING worldwide. i just looked at everything you have posted on this forum on tweetdeck. except maybe the restricted nightcrawlers part. of course no one knows who you really are. right?
I really like this forum because there are no personal attacks. All the members contribute in a positive way to my posts.
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