Pre-screening to be launched this year: Immigration Bureau

This crucial step, in addition to equipping immigration officials with foreign-language skills, is part of preparation for the Asean Economic Community (AEC), which will kick off in 2015.
“The new system will allow us to check passenger names against the blacklist before their arrival,” Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt-General Panu Lerdlarpphol said yesterday.
He said that in order to prepare for the AEC, fluency in English would be a necessary qualification for immigration officers.
“We will also consider getting officials to learn a third language such as Lao, Cambodia, Mandarin or Japanese depending on the number of visitors from that country,” Panu said.
More than 30 million people had travelled in and out of Thailand this year, he noted.
The immigration bureau would improve its technology to better prevent blacklisted people from entering the country.
“We will also ensure that there is an adequate number of computers available for use and all personnel have access to the updated database,” he said.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police Division 4 yesterday launched its “Smart Police and Social Network for AEC” project.
The bureau has eight Bangkok police stations in its jurisdiction.
The bureau’s commander Pol Maj-General Naiyawat Padermchit said the project aimed to ensure that police looked smart, were able to use new technology and could communicate with foreigners.
The project will kick off by launching English and Chinese-language courses for 30 officers today.
“We will also create a Facebook account through which people can provide clues or tip-offs,” Naiyawat said, adding that officers under his supervision will also use Twitter, e-mail, Line and YouTube in suppressing crime.
“These applications will allow for two-way communication. We have discovered that people’s access to leaflets prepared by the police is very limited,” he said.