Thailand’s border security is facing a major crisis as the country’s biometric system has ceased functioning, leaving 17 million travelers undocumented in 2024 alone. This failure, attributed to the system reaching full capacity, has raised serious concerns over national security and the unchecked movement of transnational criminals.
A Security Blind Spot
People’s Party deputy leader Rangsiman Rome sounded the alarm over the issue, revealing that Thailand has not been collecting biometric data for over a year. He emphasized that what is currently recorded are merely photographs of faces and fingerprints—not true biometric identifiers that could be used for accurate identification and tracking.
“Throughout the entire year of 2024 and up to today, there has been no actual collection of biometric data. What is being collected are merely photographs of facial images and fingerprint photos, not true biometrics,” said Mr. Rangsiman, who chairs the House Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy, and Reform.
This means that since the expiration of the previous system’s license, travelers—both lawful and illicit—have been entering and leaving Thailand without leaving behind reliable identity records. This lapse, he warns, could allow criminals to slip through the country’s borders undetected.
Bureaucratic Inaction and Delays
Despite repeated discussions—seven, according to Mr. Rangsiman—between the Immigration Bureau and the National Security Committee, no corrective action has been taken. More alarmingly, even immigration officers themselves remain unaware of the issue, highlighting a serious communication failure within the government’s security infrastructure.
“This is a complete failure of police organization,” he declared. “This loophole likely explains why so many transnational criminal groups continue to operate freely in Thailand. It is also difficult to remove them due to the inefficiency of state agencies.”
Financial and Technical Constraints
The head of the Immigration Bureau’s IT center, Pol Col Neti Khanboon, confirmed that the current biometric system had reached its storage limit of 50 million entries. Expanding to an unlimited license would require an additional 500 million baht. Meanwhile, a completely new biometric system, estimated at 3 billion baht, remains in early development stages with no set timeline for implementation.
“The limited capacity of the biometric system is a weakness,” he admitted.
Given that it may take up to 29 months to procure and implement a new system, Thailand faces an extended period of vulnerability.
A History of Controversy
The biometric system, first procured in 2019 for 2.1 billion baht, has been marred by controversy from the outset. One of its most vocal critics was former deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, who was later dismissed from the force. In 2020, he survived an apparent assassination attempt when gunmen fired seven bullets into his parked car—a case linked to his opposition to the Immigration Bureau’s procurement process.
Further, in July 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) announced plans to file charges against former national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda and three other senior officers over corruption allegations tied to the biometric system’s procurement. Since then, however, no significant progress has been reported.
The Looming Threat
With millions of undocumented travelers moving in and out of Thailand, the risks are enormous. The country is now at a crossroads—either fast-track the development of a new biometric system or risk further exploitation by criminal networks operating within its borders.
Until concrete action is taken, Thailand’s immigration system remains compromised, leaving its national security hanging in the balance.
By: Lawrence Davis
