17 million entered Thailand in 2024 without proper screening—MP demands a Police shake-up. People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome slams the Immigration Bureau over biometric system failure, revealing 17 million travellers bypassed full biometric screening in 2024. Corruption probe launched as officials push for a costly new ฿3.2 billion system. “Complete failure,” Rome warns.
Firebrand People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome on Friday called for the streamlining of the leadership of the Royal Thai Police. Mr. Rangsiman roundly criticized the Thai government, security officials and top officers of the force. It came after revelations that the country’s much-valued ฿2.1 billion biometrics system has stopped working. On Thursday, a senior police officer with the Immigration Bureau told shocked MPs that a glitch in system licensing meant the system was full. Basically, it has stopped after processing 50 million profiles. Furthermore, he confirmed that in 2024, 17 million people had entered the country without full biometric security screening. Presently, the system continues to be degraded. This comes as the procurement of the system is investigated by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
It followed the first removal of former Deputy National Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn or ‘Big Joke’ in 2019 due to issues directly related to the same system.
People’s Party parliamentarian MP Rangsiam Rome on Friday and Saturday lashed out at the government and leadership of the Royal Thai Police. He was referring to the sensational revelations on Thursday at a high-powered House of Representatives committee.
In short, the committee with oversight of national security heard senior officers expose shortcomings in the country’s screening system at points of entry.
Police colonel reveals 17 million travellers in 2024 were not properly recorded in biometric system at borders
Significantly, Police Colonel Neti Khanboon told the committee that 17 million travellers in 2024 had not been properly recorded using the Immigration Bureau biometric system.
Previously, this system, installed in conjunction with a Thai-German partnership, cost the state ฿2.1 billion. Indeed, the system, conceived in 2019 and installed in 2020, led to the removal of former National Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn. Notably, General Surachate was the Immigration Bureau chief at the time.
However, he was moved overnight to the Prime Minister’s Office during General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s tenure. Subsequently, General Surachate, also known as Big Joke, filed a complaint along with other officers about the issue to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
Following this, General Surachate’s car was mysteriously attacked by a gunman on a motorcycle in January 2020.
Senior officer removed and former police chief probed over corruption in biometric system procurement
Later that month, a senior and highly respected police officer was removed, and General Surachate was reprimanded by the Prime Minister’s Office. This incident followed allegations that former National Police Chief General Chakthip Chaijinda allegedly intervened in the investigation into that shooting.
Subsequently, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) initiated an investigation into the former national police chief linked to the procurement of the biometric system.
Certainly, these revelations also raise questions over the removal of General Surachate Hakparn from the police force last year. That move occurred amidst acknowledged corruption on both sides of a divided police force.
Subsequently, General Surachate was removed after charges related to a gambling website were accepted against him by the Criminal Court. This case was later transferred to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
The officer who appeared before the committee on Thursday was Police Colonel Neti Khanboon. He told Chairman Mr. Rangsiman that the biometric system reached full capacity in 2024, handling 50 million departures and arrivals.
Immigration Bureau plans costly new biometric system after failures and security risks at entry points
On Friday, however, Mr. Rangsiman explained that a full biometric system would be capable of distinguishing individual travellers, who might enter the kingdom under different names, nationalities, or passports. In short, this level of screening is not currently functioning.
The police officer told Mr. Rangsiman that a fully functioning system would cost the state ฿500 million extra for extra memory. However, in the meantime, Immigration Bureau officers were collecting photographs and fingerprints at points of entry. Additionally, the new short-term approach did not automatically add travellers to blacklists.
Police Colonel Neti informed the shocked committee that instead, the Immigration Bureau was initiating a completely new biometric system. This was the TIS system, which would cost ฿3.2 billion and take 29 months to implement.
“The limited capacity of the biometric system is a weakness,” the top police officer admitted.
MP Rangsiman Rome condemns biometric failures and warns security loophole aids transnational criminals
Over the weekend, Mr. Rangsiman expressed anger over this failure.
“This is a complete failure of police organization,” he said on social media. “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.”
At the same time, Mr. Rangsiman revealed that some police officers who spoke the truth to his committee had been threatened or bullied. He specifically called on the National Police Chief General Kittirat Phanphet and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who bear ultimate responsibility for the failure to respond.
He pointed out that among deputy police chiefs, assistant commissioners, and other top ranks, there were 19 senior officers in the force.
MP calls for police reform and protection of whistleblowers exposing corruption in Thailand’s forces
He called for a strengthening of the top-tier ranks and more accountability. He particularly called upon ‘Big Tai’ or General Kittirat to stop the bullying of whistleblowers in the force.
On Friday, Mr. Rangsiman described the situation as a ‘scam’ and ‘cover-up’ exposed by his committee. The House committee heard that the Immigration Bureau had reported to the National Security Council about the flaws in security screening, but no actions were taken.
Despite a security crisis, Thailand’s Immigration Bureau biometric system is stalled over licence issues
Big Joke reprimanded and the deputy national police chief removed on the Prime Minister’s orders this week
Police Colonel Neti Khanboon told the committee that in 2024 alone, 17 million passengers had been processed without proper security screening.
“Thailand currently does not utilize the biometric system for border control security. This lack of data collection poses a significant risk of criminals re-entering the country,” the People’s Party MP said. “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.”
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