National Police Chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch has directed immigration authorities to enhance screening procedures for incoming travelers.
On Wednesday, Pol Gen Kittharath announced new measures aimed at combating prostitution rings operated by foreign nationals in Thailand. These include implementing a digital arrival card as part of pre-entry screening protocols.
This initiative is a joint effort between the Immigration Bureau (IB) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Traveler data will be cross-referenced with information from foreign embassies to identify individuals on watch lists or blacklists.
The collected data will be shared with the Tourist Police and local law enforcement agencies, enabling them to monitor and track suspicious individuals.
The enhanced screening will also apply to visitors entering on tourist or student visas.
When questioned about the presence of foreign prostitution rings in Bangkok’s nightlife districts such as Sukhumvit, Soi Cowboy, and Nana, Pol Gen Kittharath stated that these measures will aid in addressing issues related to transnational crime and human trafficking.
In related news, cybercrime investigators arrested 50-year-old Bulgarian national Ivan Valchev for installing devices that compromised 13 ATMs.
Pol Maj Gen Siriwat Deepor, head of Cybercrime Investigation Division 1, explained that the suspects, disguised as ATM repair technicians, used master keys to access and manipulate data transmission lines. They embedded fake cables containing a “jackpot” virus, which was controlled via SIM-based internet signals to disrupt ATM operations.
Authorities tracked Mr. Valchev through rental car records.
