Thailand's immigration system is in disarray. A failure to collect biometric data from 17 million travellers has left the country vulnerable, exposing deep flaws in its security apparatus -- not to mention its immigration controls.
This shocking revelation, brought to light by MP Rangsiman Rome, comes as authorities crack down on Chinese scam syndicates.
Yet while law enforcement scrambles to dismantle these networks, the criminals themselves have had a head start. Thanks to the border control fiasco, the kingpins have either gone into hiding within the country or fled abroad. Without biometric data, tracking them is impossible. They can slip in and out of Thailand freely, ready to resume their illicit activities.
Mr Rangsiman, deputy leader of the People's Party and chair of the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and Reform, says no real biometric data was collected in 2024, only facial and fingerprint photos.
Mr Rangsiman said the Immigration Bureau (IB) raised the issue with the National Security Committee several times, but higher authorities have done nothing.
Testifying before Mr Rangsiman's committee, Pol Col Neti Khanboon, head of the database division at the IB's IT centre, admitted the biometric system is full.
As a result, the country does not have biometric data of about 17 million people entering the country since last year, he said.
Expanding to an unlimited licence would cost 500 million baht, while a new identity collection system is in the works with a 3-billion-baht budget.
Thailand's inability to collect biometric data is not just a technical failure; it reflects a broader pattern of bureaucratic inefficiency -- perhaps even wilful neglect.
Officials knew for years the system was overloaded and that a new one was needed. Yet nothing was done.
Now, Mr Rangsiman warns it will take at least 29 months to implement a new system. Given the pace of bureaucratic projects in Thailand, even that timeline seems optimistic.
What caused this delay? Many suspect corruption is a likely factor. When a lucrative contract is on the table, different groups fight for a share. If they can't agree, everything stalls.
Thailand's role in the global scam industry is well known. Criminal syndicates have long favoured neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia -- where weak governance makes it easy to offer tea money to officials.
But Thailand offers something more valuable: infrastructure. Good transport networks, reliable internet and cooperative officials make it a perfect operational hub. Scams and online gambling syndicates know they can run their businesses here with little risk.
Human trafficking is central to these scams. Tens of thousands of victims -- many from China -- have been tricked, trafficked and forced to work in scam centres under brutal conditions. Some have been tortured, others killed. Thailand cannot pretend it is merely a bystander. It has played a direct role in allowing these crimes to flourish.
China's crackdown on the scam city in Myawaddy, Myanmar, has laid bare Thailand's weaknesses. Officials were slow to cut off essential utilities -- electricity, internet and fuel -- to scam compounds. When freed victims needed screening, officialdom was unprepared. When the Karen militia offered to return 1,000 victims a day, Thailand baulked, claiming a lack of capacity.
Despite Thailand having been a hub for human trafficking for decades, officials failed to gather witness testimony to prosecute those behind one of the biggest international trafficking cases.
The massive rescue of the scammers' victims would have happened without Chinese pressure. If Beijing had not stepped in, would Thailand have taken any action at all?
Or would officials have looked the other way, letting business continue as usual? What will happen when the external pressure is gone? These questions should worry everyone.
Beyond the crime and corruption that are corroding the country, there is another issue at play: tourism. The government is desperate to revive the sector, rolling out free-visa policies to attract more visitors. But in the absence of effective border controls, this policy also invites criminals. Without biometric data, there is no way to screen them.
A country that cannot control its own borders is a country at risk. The government must fix this -- not with vague promises, but with urgency and accountability. If it does not, Thailand will remain what it is today: a haven for crime.