An opposition Member of Parliament has revealed that the Immigration Bureau’s biometric system failed to gather biometric data from roughly 17 million travellers entering and leaving Thailand last year after the system hit its maximum storage limit.
People’s Party deputy leader Rangsiman Rome stated on Facebook that Thailand isn’t currently using a biometric system for border security, calling this a major risk that could allow criminals to re-enter the country undetected.
He added that no real biometric data has been collected since 2024. What’s being gathered are photos of faces and fingerprints, which he says don’t count as proper biometrics. Rangsiman, who also leads the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and Reform, highlighted the issue during a recent post.
Since the previous biometrics system’s licence expired, about 17 million people have crossed Thailand’s borders without their biometric details being recorded.
According to Rangsiman, implementing a new system could take up to 29 months because the procurement process has yet to start.
He pointed out that even immigration officers are largely unaware of the problem. He revealed that the Immigration Bureau had raised this issue seven times with the National Security Committee, but higher authorities have taken no action.
“This situation reflects a complete failure within the police force,” Rangsiman said. “It’s likely one reason why transnational crime groups continue to operate freely in Thailand. The inefficiency of government agencies also makes it harder to expel them.”
Pol Col Neti Khanboon, who oversees the database division at the bureau’s IT centre, acknowledged the system’s limitations while speaking to Rangsiman’s committee on Thursday. He confirmed that the system, which holds data for up to 50 million people, had reached capacity.
He added that upgrading to a licence without storage limits would cost 500 million baht, while a new personal identity system is being developed with a 3-billion-baht budget.
Pol Col. Neti explained that data collection depends on facial photos, fingerprint images, and written records. In 2024, 17 million travellers entered and left Thailand without proper biometric data being recorded. He admitted the system’s limited capacity was a flaw.
The biometric system was procured in 2019 for 2.1 billion baht. It faced criticism from Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, a well-known officer dismissed last year following several disputes with senior figures.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
